Trial and Error
by Manhattan Chase
Summary: [Saku/Sas] - AU - Slow Burn - Life as an associate at Konoha's most revered law firm was hard enough without Sasuke Uchiha showing up . . . .
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

* * *

Sakura squinted her eyes open one at a time, grimacing at the ray of light that streaked across her face. Morning already. She sighed and shifted to avoid the light, stretching her leg out as she did so and colliding with a solid mass. She blinked and sat up. Binders stuffed with deposition testimony and expert reports surrounded her body. To her left several notepads covered in her thin, slanted handwriting lay intermingled with loose paper and pink highlighters. Her laptop sat on the pillow next to her, the screen dark and silent. Sakura lay back down, careful not to move too quickly or risk sending a cascade of papers to the floor. She had fallen asleep working in bed. Again.

Sakura closed her eyes and sunk into the warmth of her comforter, willing herself to fall back asleep. Per usual, Ino had the A/C on blast, rendering their sixth floor walk-up freezing despite the July heat. Live with Ino, they said. It'll be cheaper, they said. But once you took into account the electricity bill, Sakura was fairly certain she could afford a much nicer apartment all by herself.

Not that she wanted to move. Ino and Sakura has been roommates since law school. At the time, Sakura had been more concerned with finding a cheap place to live than a decent place. Ino's only requirement had been central air, which was significantly trickier to find in their agreed-to price range than either had expected. But after weeks of trudging over downtown Konoha in search for the perfect prospect, they had found her. A two-bedroom, two-bath, six-story walk-up with exposed brick walls and a questionable stain in the kitchen ceiling. But even with Mr. Frankie (they had to name the stain something), Sakura had a sneaky suspicion the rent was actually higher than the ridiculously low numbers Ino had quoted. Sakura suspected Ino's parents had made a sizeable donation to the Ino and Sakura Need a Place to Live Foundation.

Despite Ino's many—and Sakura meant many—bad qualities, Ino had always been generous with her family's wealth. Although Ino claimed the Yamanaka children made their own way in the world, Sakura was fairly certain the only reason Ino was living with her in the beat up brick apartment as opposed to a brand new penthouse was a twisted combination of self pride and pity for Sakura's meager budget. Much as she hated it, Sakura had taken the charity.

Of course, Ino and Sakura weren't in law school anymore. They had graduated three years earlier, passed the necessary licensing exam, and were now full-fledged attorneys. Well, Sakura was at least. Ino had worked as an attorney for all of six months before deciding her talents were better spent elsewhere. She worked now for her family business, doing something with marketing. Or maybe it was development? Or was she a business analyst? It had something to do with synergy, of that Sakura was sure . . . .

Sakura, on the other hand, had thrown herself into the profession. She was a third-year associate at one of the largest and most formidable law firms in the Land of Fire, Senju LLP. Although she was very well paid, Sakura made nowhere near as much as people assumed. Lawyers didn't start pulling in the truly insane money until they became a partner, and Sakura was _at least_ four years away from that milestone. What she was paid, Sakura funneled towards her student loan payments and into her emergency savings fund. And shoes. And the occasional overpriced purse. She wasn't entirely boring. But throwing her money away on overpriced rent seemed stupid even to her.

She was close to paying off her debt though, and Sakura knew deep down it would soon be time to face the music and start living sans her A/C obsessed friend. Sakura was turning 28 in a few months, and for some reason that seemed a little too old to have a roommate. Especially now that Ino was dating their mutual friend Sai. No matter how many times Sakura pointed out to them that Ino had both a private bedroom and bathroom for such activities, they always seemed to be starting or ending their fun in the main room.

If Sakura walked in on the sight of Sai's pale, naked behind one more time, she was going to not so gently suggest that Ino look for her own place. Their apartment was—after all—much closer to Sakura's work than Ino's, and Sakura was fairly confident Ino would be happy to be the one to move. Sakura, for her part, was quite fond of the walk-up. It had character, and truly, she couldn't beat the location.

A loud bang sounded from the hallway, jolting Sakura up in a panic.

"INO!" she yelled, untangling her legs from sheets and papers and sprinting to her door. "If you and Sai are working through the Kama Sutra again I swear to god we're going to have a problem. You broke a kitchen stool last time. I liked those stools!"

Sakura burst through her door and down the hall, fully prepared to unleash her furry at the expected site of Ino and Sai bumping uglies. But the main room was empty. The Chinese food boxes that cluttered the coffee table from the night before were undisturbed. Sakura turned and headed to Ino's door, located just a few feet from her own in the narrow back hallway. She knocked softly, then loudly, before turning the handle and opening the door a crack.

"Ino? You in here?" No reply. Sakura pushed the door open just far enough to gaze inside. Empty. The door to Ino's private bathroom stood ajar, the light off and clearly vacant. Sakura stuck her head out, frowning.

Had Ino left for work already? Was that the bang she had heard—the sound of their front door being carelessly slammed shut? Sakura shook her head and headed back to her own room. Ino hadn't left for work a minute before 9:00 AM in her entire life. It couldn't be later than 5:00 AM. Sakura's alarm hadn't even gone off yet!

Sakura froze as a horrifying thought took over. She sucked in a breath and raced to her bed, digging through her sheets until she found her phone underneath a thick binder. She pressed the button. Dead. She hadn't plugged it in last night.

"Shit. Shit. Shit," Sakura cursed as she raced back to the apartment's main room to glance at the microwave clock. The glowing red figures read 9:12 AM.

"Noooo," she moaned, grasping at the bottom of her tank top as she scurried back to her room. As she pulled her shirt over her head she did some quick mental math. It would take her five minutes to dress, brush her teeth, wash her face, and she supposed it was necessary to at least run a comb through her hair. Then it would take another fifteen minutes for her to descend the stairs of her apartment and walk the five city blocks to her firm. Maybe ten minutes if she sped walked. Sakura glanced at the large binders on her bed she knew she needed for the day. There was no way. Walking would take the full fifteen.

Then it was another five minutes to scan her pass to get into the building and ride the elevator up to the 45th floor. That put her arrival at 9:37 AM, which would give her almost twenty minutes to throw her bag into her office, wipe the likely sweat off her brow, and then casually make her way to the firm meeting scheduled for 10:00 AM. Hell, she could even grab a cup of coffee from the kitchen on her way down. Sakura breathed a breath in relief. She would make it.

Firm leadership had circulated an email a few days ago to the eighty or so associates at her office. "This meeting is mandatory. If any conflict prevents your attendance, you must seek approval from Tsunade." No explanation. No indication why a precious billable hour was to be spent on a Friday morning in a mandatory meeting. But Sakura knew if Tsunade was in charge, it must be important.

Tsunade was one of the firm's most powerful partners. She brought in major work, and she headed the firm's governance committee. Tsunade's practice largely consisted of medical device work, and Sakura worked almost exclusively with her on her cases. Although Tsunade was an amazing mentor Sakura knew she was lucky to have, Tsunade's anger was legendary. The last thing Sakura wanted was to show up late to this meeting and be forced to explain her tardiness.

Sakura finished in the bathroom and pulled her last clean suit out of its dry cleaning bag. Sakura zipped on the gray pencil skirt, which fell just past her knees, and reached into her closet for a deep red silk blouse with a pussy bow. The matching suit jacket was double breasted, and the lapel was just so that it looked marvelous buttoned up with the red bow arranged on the outside.

In the interest of time, Sakura swept her hair into a low ponytail and clumsily pushed into her ears the only pair of nice earrings she owned—small pearl studs that her mother had gifted her when she graduated law school. No time for make-up, but her face was washed at least.

After stuffing a pair of heels in her purse and slipping on a pair of bright pink running shoes for the walk to the office, she grabbed her heavy bag and hurried out the door, glancing at her watch as she did. 9:20 AM. A little late, but still ok.

Fifteen minutes later, Sakura practically limped into the building lobby, her large bag digging into her shoulder and hot sweat beginning to dry in her bra. "Why did I wear silk?" she muttered under her breath. Her shirt was probably ruined.

Fumbling for a moment, Sakura managed to balance her bag against her hip as she slipped her free hand into her jacket pocket for her white security badge. Obtained, she pressed it firmly against the security turnstile, waited for the familiar chirp as the gate opened, and walked through to the elevator bank. She hit the up button and an elevator to her left immediately opened. Smiling with relief—sometimes it could take a few minutes until one arrived—she walked in and selected her floor.

"Made it," Sakura gasped as she leaned against the elevator wall and lowered her bag to the ground. But just as the doors began to close, a pale hand with long, slender fingers shot through the opening, forcing the doors to stop their steady progression and reverse. Glaring, Sakura looked up to see who had delayed her ascent, and froze.

Standing at the doors, dressed in an impeccably tailored dark navy suit and deep green tie, was Sasuke Uchiha.

He stood lazily, one hand pushed into a pant leg pocket and the other holding the handle of a black leather briefcase. Her green eyes were wide as he held her gaze, unspeaking. After a few seconds, he walked in, glanced at the selected floor, hit the number for the floor directly below it, and turned so his back was to Sakura. After another beat, the doors to the elevator closed, and the elevator shifted up.

The pair rode in silence, Sakura staring in panic at his broad, clearly well muscled back. What on god's green earth was Sasuke Goddamn Uchiha doing here?

"Haruno," Sasuke said coolly in greeting, not turning to look at her as he spoke.

"Uchiha," Sakura responded with similar civility.

A second later, the elevator slowed, and then stopped. The doors opened onto the familiar white marble floor of the firm lobby. The firm occupied five floors, but guests only had access to the main level, floor 44. Levels 45-48 were only accessible via the internal staircase, or via elevator with a security badge.

Sasuke walked out and turned right towards the receptionist desk. As he turned he glanced over his shoulder to look directly at her, an all too familiar smirk playing on his lips.

"Nice shoes," he mocked, before walking down the hall.

Sakura glanced down and grimaced at her bright pink sneakers.

"Why," she whispered simply. The doors shut, and Sakura used the time to toe off her shoes and slip into the heels stuffed into her purse. The elevator moved up, and Sakura stumbled out, her security badge in hand to let her out of the vestibule.

Moments later, she was down the hall and into her office. She pulled the door open and pushed herself inside, closing the door quickly behind her. She turned and leaned her forehead against the door, letting her bag fall to the ground with a thud.

Sasuke Uchiha, her former law school classmate, her former crush, who she hadn't seen in _three years_ , was here. At _her_ firm. No doubt sitting in the lobby being offered coffee by _her_ receptionist. Well, not _her_ receptionist exactly. But still. It was the principle of the matter.

Sakura backed up and looked at herself in the full-length mirror she kept behind the door. Strands of pink hair had escaped her ponytail and were plastered to her forehead with sweat. As she suspected, she looked like she had just walked five city blocks in ninety-degree heat wearing a full suit and carrying a thirty-pound bag. Which she had, but still, why did she have to look it? Especially in front of him?

She banged her head against the mirror in frustration. Sasuke had attended the University of Konoha Law School in the same class as Ino and Sakura. Sakura and Sasuke had been assigned to the same section their first year of school, which meant they took all of their classes together with the same fifty people. They had never been friends exactly. But Sakura was friends with Naruto Uzumaki, another fellow section mate, who was Sasuke's only apparent friend at school. As a result, Sakura had often found herself around Sasuke, and like many of the other women in school, she couldn't resist his dark looks and brooding demeanor. He was without a doubt the most attractive man she had ever met. It was a shame he was such an asshole.

Sasuke was, in a word, brilliant. He came from a long line of lawyers, and it was clear from day one that he was the one to beat. During cold calls the Professors never stumped him. Sasuke effortlessly answered their questions until they inevitably gave up and moved on to a different student. Sakura, however, had once been called on by her Torts Professor while doodling Sasuke's name in the margins of her textbook. In a panic she blurted out the first word on the tip of her tongue. Sasuke. Her cheeks still grew hot at the memory of Sasuke's cold stare on the back of her neck while she stuttered that she didn't know the answer, but maybe Sasuke did.

Later, she had heard Sasuke in the library, muttering angrily to Naruto while they made their way through the stacks to a study table. "She's annoying, Naruto, and stupid. How she made it into this school I'll never know."

It had stung then. It stung now.

Naruto took Sasuke's legal prowess as a challenge, and while Sasuke was without a doubt the smarter of the two, Naruto had established himself as far superior when it came to client skills. Naruto was even the class speaker at graduation, an honor he had thrown in Sasuke's face every possible opportunity. Sasuke had acted annoyed, but Sakura could tell he didn't care. To the contrary, when Sakura snuck a glance at Sasuke during Naruto's impassioned address, Sasuke had looked almost pleased. The sight of his thin smile had made her heart hurt.

Sakura, though smart and capable, had fallen to the middle of the pack their first year of law school. Her grades were excellent, but she lacked confidence. While Sasuke and Naruto made law review, she hadn't even petitioned for the journal, convinced she wouldn't have made it on, so why try.

But in their second year, things had started to change. Only the first year of school was spent taking classes in a section. The second and third years were choose-your-adventure, and suddenly Sakura was taking classes without Naruto or Sasuke. She found she had an aptitude for health law, and she promptly signed up for every health related class she could. Her science background had been tremendously helpful for the products liability classes. So much so that Professor Chiyo—an expert in the area—had asked Sakura to be her research assistant.

Chiyo was so pleased with Sakura's work she had made a call to Tsunade. Chiyo had no love for Tsunade, but even she knew that when you're the best, you're the best. The traditional way get a law firm job was to spend the summer between your second and third year of law school working for the firm as a summer associate. If everything went well, at the end of the summer the firm might make you an offer to return as a first year associate after you graduated law school the following year.

Senju LLP usually hired a class of ten to fifteen summer associates every year, and had already made its hires for the upcoming summer. Naruto had, of course, snagged a spot, along with Shikamaru Nara, another section mate. But Sakura hadn't even received an interview. Chiyo implored Tsunade to reconsider, and after an awkward lunch interview, Tsunade agreed. The summer had gone well, and so at the end of school Sakura had come to Senju with Naruto and Shikamaru.

Sasuke had gone to his family's law firm, the Uchiha Brothers. Blissfully, Sakura had yet to encounter Sasuke since graduation. Until now, that is.

Sakura's office phone rang, shaking her out of her memories.

"Sakura Haruno," she grunted into the receiver.

"Sakura, it's Shizune. Almost everyone is gathered already in Conference Room 45A. The meeting starts in less than 5 minutes, are you coming?" Sakura slapped her hand to her face.

"Oh god yes, yes, the meeting, I'll be right there."

"Ok, I saved you a chair."

Sakura slammed the receiver down. She straightened her skirt and pushing back her hair. Whatever Sasuke was doing here, it wasn't her concern. He was probably here on a case. Yes. Sakura nodded. That was it. Sasuke was probably representing the other party in matter and was here for a deposition or something. Which meant he would be safely down on 44. She wouldn't need to see him again.

Sakura grabbed a notepad and pen from her bag before strolling down the hall. She needed to focus.

The conference room was large, but it was never meant to hold 80 attorneys. Chattering men and women sat in long rows of chairs, with those who had arrived too late to grab a spot standing along the walls in small packs. Sakura craned her neck over a group of men loudly speculating that the meeting was to announce a firm wide raise (yah right). Spotted, Sakura pushed through the crowd to Shizune. Shizune waived, indicating the empty chair between herself and Naruto.

Naruto caught her eye and a bright smile spread across his face. "Sakura, where you been? I stopped by earlier this morning to see if you wanted to grab coffee but you weren't in yet. Oh, I like your shirt! What's the bow thing called again?"

"Good morning Naruto. It's called a pussy bow, as you well know."

Naruto's smile broke as he snickered. "I know, but I like hearing you say it. Pussy bow. Who came up with that? What a racket!" Sakura ignored his laughter and leaned over him to Shikamaru, who sat staring up at the ceiling fan, watching the blades lazily turn.

"Morning," she called over the noise.

"Cutting it a little close, Sakura? That's not like you." Shikamaru said in reply, keeping his eyes fixed above.

"Long story," Sakura called back. "Any idea what this meeting is about?" Shikamaru's eyes darted to Naruto's, who glanced at the floor, his laughter silenced.

"What?" Sakura asked in surprise. Naruto bit his lip, refusing to meet Sakura's eyes.

"What do you two know that you're not telling me?" She was met with silence.

"Naruto! What do you know?" Sakura ground out, her fingers curling into fists.

At that moment, the far doors to the room banged open and Tsuande strolled in. She wore a crisp cream dress that provided a generous view of her equally generous bosom. The rest of the governance committee—Danzo Shimaru, Homura Mitokado, and Kohura Utatane—followed her, their faces drawn and tight.

Sakura sat up straight in her chair, casting her eyes angrily between Naruto and Shikamaru. "We'll talk about where your loyalties lie later," she hissed at them. Naruto gulped.

Tsunade stood at the front of the room and raised her hands, instantly killing the remaining whispers that radiated the space.

"Good morning," she called, her voice loud and clear. "Thank you for making time this morning."

"Not like we really had a choice," Shizune whispered to Sakura.

"I'm sure you are all wondering why we called you here today," Tsunade continued. "The legal market is struggling right now. Although Senju has steady work, the partnership has decided it is in our best interest merge with another law firm." Tsunade paused, casting her eyes over the group of stunned faces.

"As many of you know, my grandfather Hashirama Senju founded this firm with his childhood friend Madara Uchiha. Madara and my grandfather, however, had different ideas about how to run this place, and eventually, Madara left to start his own practice. He named the firm Uchiha Brothers, a name you no doubt know. We have gone up against them many times over the years, and they are smart and strategic attorneys."

Sakura's hands grew clammy, her mind snapping pieces together.

"Thus, when it came time to consider with which firm we should seek to merge, we could think of no better marriage than between Senju LLP and Uchiha Brothers. Happily, Uchiha Brothers agreed, and so on Monday, we will be announcing our merger. Congratulations, you are all now associates at Senju & Uchiha, LLP."

Tsunade put her hands together to clap, and soon the room followed, slowly, and half-heartily. But as soon as it began, the applause died. Tsunade continued.

"Uchiha Brothers is a small operation compared to us. They only have about forty attorneys, and not all of those attorneys decided to come with the firm in the merger. Given this, we decided that instead of finding a larger office, we would all stay in our current space. This will require some patience from you as we find these new additions offices. The firm comes to us with about ten associates, and it is our expectation that you do your part to make them feel at home in their new space.

"Despite what may seem to you a sudden decision, the partnership has been planning this move for months, and we are confident Senju and Uchiha will be stronger together. Now, any questions?"

The room broke into a frenzy, but Sakura only heard buzzing in her ears. Uchiha Brothers was merging with _her_ firm? The firm she had been so proud to join. So excited and thrilled to know had wanted _her_. If Uchiha Brothers was bringing associates in the merger, it was clear now why she had ran into Sasuke this morning. Sasuke was a family man, through and through. Uchiha Brothers was where his father and brother had worked before their untimely demise. Sasuke would never leave the family business.

And now he was here. With her.

"Sakura?" Naruto whispered. "You've gone completely white." Sakura whipped her head to look into his bright blue eyes, her own sparking with rage.

"Did you know about this?" She growled.

Naruto's face paled. "Define know . . . ."

"Naruto—"

"Sakura!" Sakura paused mid sentence, glancing up. Tsunade stood by the door, hand on the handle. The meeting had clearly ended, and people were beginning to clear out. "Sakura, a word please."

"Hai, Sensei!" Sakura called, standing briskly. She turned to look at Naruto, whose face was curiously turned away, seemingly fascinated with a bird outside of a window.

"We will continue this later, Naruto," Sakura bit out before hurrying out of the room and after Tsunade.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

"Tsunade, you wanted to see me?"

Tsunade gestured for Sakura to come in, her shoulder hugging her phone to her ear as she clacked her fingers across her keyboard. Sakura sat stiffly in front of Tsunade's desk, glancing at the three familiar photos Tsunade kept by her phone.

The first was a faded photo of Tsunade's grandfather Hashiramu Senju, the firm's founder, and a five-year-old Tsunade. No doubt Tsunade kept it there as a not so subtle reminder of who she was. It was a total power move, and Sakura loved it.

The second and third photos showed Tsunade at her law school graduation. The smaller of the two photos showed Tsunade beaming next to her younger brother and her fiancé Dan Kato. Both men would die in a car accident only a year later. She had been married to her work ever since.

The larger photo was of Tsunade and two classmates. All three were dressed in the school's scarlet graduation robes. Standing to her left was Jiraiya, a former partner at Senju who had taken a special interest in Naruto. Jiraiya's practice had consisted largely of plaintiff's side class action lawsuits, and when Jiraiya had retired last year, he made it expressly clear what his expectations were for Naruto.

"You have empathy, my boy." Jiraiya had drunkenly slurred at his going away party. Naruto, eyes full of tears, had dumbly nodded, sloshing his beer down his front as Jiraiya clasped him hard on the back. "Naruto, you have the nerve to take on the big dogs! Just like I did it! You'll go far my boy! You'll go far! Mark my words, you'll be running this place one day!"

Naruto had cried. Jiraiya had cried. Sakura had called a cab. Naruto had thrown up in it. Happy times.

Standing to Tsunade's right in the photo was a man Sakura knew only by reputation. Orochimaru. Sakura blinked with a sudden thought. Orochimaru. THE Orochimaru. Last she heard, was the managing partner at . . . Uchiha Brothers.

Tsunade sighed heavily on the phone, her annoyance evident. "Uh huh, uh huh. Well, Gaara, I don't know what to tell you. We gave you that settlement offer weeks ago. It's not on the table anymore . . . . Well that may be but it doesn't change my client's position . . . . No, I hear what you're saying, but I disagree. Frankly, I think the jury will side with us on that issue. You will loose, and you'll loose hard . . . . Right, well, it seems we are at an impasse then. Why don't you take our most recent offer to you client and get back to me next week . . . . Ok, yes, have a good weekend."

Tsunade hung up the phone and without glancing at Sakura, finished typing up her notes from the call. "He can be such an ass," she muttered as she hit save and closed the computer window.

"Was that the Morino file?" Sakura asked hesitantly.

Tsunade nodded, swiveling her chair to face her favorite associate. "Yes, it was. The Sunagakure Corporation is still refusing to consider our offer to settle. Can you or Shizune finalize the draft summary judgment motion for my review next week? If Gaara doesn't call me back with a satisfactory answer by end of business next Friday, I want that motion filed."

Sakura nodded, jotting the request down on her notepad.

"Not a problem Sensei."

"Good. Have you had a chance to look at those preliminary expert reports I sent you? I'll need a memo summarizing what each says as soon as possible."

"Hai, Sensei. I've read through most of them already. I can get you summaries by Tuesday morning." Tsunade glanced up, her yellow eyes narrowed. "Monday. Monday morning, Sensei." Sakura corrected, scribbling the same under her growing to-do list.

Tsunade smiled. "Thank you Sakura, and please send a copy of your summaries to Neji as well. I'm going to pull him on the team so you and Shizune have some help."

"Thank you," Sakura said as she wrote. She looked up, waiting for Tsunade continue. "Sensei, was that all you needed?"

Tsunade let out a breath, studying Sakura's face. She looked tired.

"No, Sakura. There is something else. Tell me, how much do you know about Uchiha Brothers?"

Surprised, Sakura leaned back in her chair, gently playing with her shirt bow.

"Very little . . . I've never had a case against them."

"Tell me what you _do_ know about the firm," Tsunade encouraged, standing up from her desk and walking to the large window that provided an impressive view of the bustling streets below.

Sakura tilted her head in thought.

"Well, like you said this morning, Madara Uchiha founded it after he split from Senju." Sakura paused. "It's a very powerful firm, and it's full of litigators. I don't think anyone does transactional work . . . ."

"Anything else?"

"They rarely hire straight out of law school. They tend to poach attorneys from rival firms who are in their third or fourth years. When I was in law school they didn't even bother to interview anyone besides . . . ." Sakura stopped, pink rising to her cheeks.

"Sasuke Uchiha," Tsunade answered for her, her voice level and low.

"Yes," Sakura said softly.

Tsunade turned to face her, hands clasped behind her back.

"I understand he was a classmate of yours."

"Um, yes, he was Sensei."

"And were you and Uchiha friends in school?"

Sakura snorted. "No, Sensei."

"Oh? Why was that?"

Sakura clicked her pen, suddenly irritated. Why hadn't they been friends? Oh no reason, really. Maybe because every time he walked into a room her brain had turned to jelly, rendering her incapable of intelligent speech. Maybe because he had a huge stick up his—

"Sakura?"

"Let's just say Sasuke was in a class all by himself," Sakura replied. "He was only ever friendly with Naruto actually, and in truth, that friendship was more a rivalry than anything else."

Tsunade nodded to herself, processing the information.

"Thank you, Sakura. Is there anything else you know about Uchiha Brothers?"

Sakura shifted slightly.

"Go on." Tsunade pushed.

"Well, it has a, um, questionable reputation," Sakura answered, refusing to meet Tsunade's bright yellow eyes.

Tsunade nodded.

"Yes, yes it does. As lawyers, we have an obligation to zealously advocate for our clients. But Madara Uchiha was always more . . . adversarial, than my grandfather was. One might say unnecessarily so. That attitude has always defined Uchiha Brothers, and between us Sakura, there was significant hesitation on our end before we agreed to the merger."

Tsunade stared at Sakura, sighing inside. This wasn't going to be easy.

"The merger is important," she continued. "We have coasted too long on past victories, and with so many of our partners retiring lately, we need to bring in fresh blood who are at various places in their careers. But . . . as you correctly note, Uchiha Brothers has rubbed too many people the wrong way, and we need to take care that its past behavior does not impact our newly formed firm.

"Sakura, firm leadership has decided the best way to announce the merger is to do it simultaneously with the announcement of a major pro bono case. A case staffed by attorneys each originally from either Senju or Uchiha Brothers. We're spinning it as the first case our newly formed firm will be taking together. Hopefully, by doing so, we are sending a strong message that the Senju & Uchiha firm will be a positive force in our community. Not a negative one . . . What do you think?"

"Pro bono?" Sakura questioned, slightly taken back. "That's, that's lovely. I mean, we take on those type of clients all the time, but I'm sure Uchiha Brothers isn't as charitable. It sounds like a solid strategy to me Sensei."

"I'm so glad you agree," Tsunade grinned wolfishly, sending a jolt of unease through Sakura.

"So, um, do you have the case already picked out?" Sakura asked, forcing fake enthusiasm into her voice.

"We do in fact. Are you familiar with the Freedom Fighters Project?"

Sakura's eyes widened slightly in recognition. "Isn't that the non-profit that represents people who were wrongfully convicted, and tries to get them out of prison?"

Tsunade nodded. "The very one. The Project has approached us a few times about taking a case for them, but it's never been the right time to take something like that on. With these new associates joining next week, however, it'll be the perfect opportunity."

Sakura sat in silence, staring at Tsunade. Dreading what she knew was coming next.

"Aren't you curious who will be working on the case Sakura? It seemed appropriate to have Orochimaru and myself head the team, seeing as we are former classmates ourselves and will be co-chairing the firm for the time being. We though it would also be fitting to have Sasuke and y—"

"Tsunade, please—"

"Sakura—"

"I've never done a criminal case," Sakura practically pleaded. "And I have been so busy on the Morino file . . . and the Habachi matter has been just a never ending nightmare—"

Tsunade laughed, falling back into her chair in exasperation.

"Are those your objections, Sakura? That you're too busy, and you don't 'know how to do criminal law.'" Tsunade said with bunny fingers raised to emphasize her point.

Sakura tensed, feeling the trap closing in, but unsure how to avoid it.

"Y-yes."

"Sakura, I added Neji to the Morino file, and Shizune is more than capable of handling the Habachi matter on her own. Unless your other files are similarly overwhelming, you should have ample time to take this matter on."

Sakura grimaced, racing for another reason.

"Yes, but . . . I still have no idea how criminal matters work! I took criminal law when I was in law school, but that's been my only experience Sensei. I'll just be a burden to you!"

"Not at all Sakura. You are bright and capable and a very quick learner. Don't sell yourself short. You won't be a burden in the slightest. Besides, I understand that Sasuke handled criminal matters frequently for Orochimaru, and showed an aptitude for the work."

"Of course he did," Sakura muttered, grinding her teeth together.

"Sakura," Tsunade finally said, her tone changing from playful to serious. Sakura looked up, almost hearing the cogs of Tsunade's trap clicking into their final position. "Sakura, I need you on this. I have known Orochimaru for a very, very long time. I don't trust him, and I don't trust his associate Sasuke. They're good lawyers, without a doubt. But we need to do this by the books, and we need to do it well."

Sakura clicked her pen anxiously, looking anywhere but Tsunade's imploring eyes.

"Sensei, why not Naruto? They're already friends. Sasuke respects Naruto. He listens to him. Wouldn't it better to have Naruto keeping an eye? Sasuke, he doesn't respect me. It'll be a disaster."

Tsunade smiled softly.

"Perhaps. But I doubt it. Plus, I would rather have someone who clearly doesn't like Sasuke watching him, then someone with whom he is a friend. Naruto is an excellent attorney, and normally his kind heart is a benefit to the firm. But in this case, I want skeptical eyes. And, Sakura, I want someone _I_ can trust. I can trust you, can't I Sakura?"

Sakura blanched. Damn she was good.

"Yes, Sensei." Sakura managed weakly, clearly defeated. "But, can I at least think about it first?"

Tsunade nodded slowly.

"Fine. But I want an answer first thing Monday."

"Hai, Sensei. First thing Monday."

"Thank you Sakura. Well, it's Friday, and I imagine you have some work to do before the weekend. Off you go."

* * *

Five hours later, Sakura put her highlighter down. It was useless. She had read the same line six times, and she still couldn't tell you what it said. Something about catheter ablation . . . . Her head was swimming with medical information and repeats of her conversation with Tsunade.

This would be great an opportunity! Sure it wasn't her normal practice, but it was a case that would bring in big publicity for the firm, and Tsunade wanted _her_ on it.

"Sakura!" She glanced up, almost tipping out of her seat at the sight of Naruto's nose mere inches from her own.

"Jesus, Naruto, give a girl some warning before you do that will ya?" She gasped, holding her hand over her heart in feigned fright. "You almost gave me a heart attack." Which was apt, she thought to herself, given her reading material for the afternoon . . . .

Naruto chuckled, resting his chin in his palms as he leaned on her desk, looking very much the naughty schoolboy.

"Sakkkuuurrraaaa, are you mad at me?" He crooned. She glanced at him, curious and suspicious at his smile.

"That depends. What did you do now?"

"I may or may not have forgotten to tell you that Sasuke would be joining the firm," Naruto guffawed.

She stared, her face unreadable. In the chaos of the morning she had completely forgotten about that. But yes, now that Naruto said it, she was angry. Not nearly as angry as she wanted to be, but she could muster a show as well as the next person.

"Explain," she directed, leaning back and crossing her arms.

"Well, uh, Sasuke and I see each other fairly often you know. He lives near Hinata and me, and we go running on the weekends together. He's known for weeks about the merger, but he wasn't supposed to say anything to anyone, especially not to anyone here. I guess they thought some of us might leave if we found out."

"Imagine that," Sakura quipped. Naruto laughed weakly.

"Sasuke told me—even though he wasn't supposed to—but he said I was dead if I told anyone else."

"Then how did Shika—"

"Oh, he figured it out on his own. Apparently there have been little signs all over the place. Lots of partners whispering together in hallways I guess. He's a very good spy that Shikamaru of ours! A legal ninja or something!" Naruto laughed. Sakura was unmoved. "We, uh, didn't know that we both knew until this morning," Naruto gulped, sensing Sakura's anger.

"Naruto, I appreciate your loyalty, but it would have been nice to know what was going on. At the very least so I didn't make a fool of myself this morning." Sakura spat.

"What happened this morning?"

"Nothing, nothing. Forget about it," she sighed, uncrossing her arms to drag her hands over her face.

"Listen, Sakura. I know Sasuke wasn't always the nicest guy in school. But he really isn't that bad, I promise."

Sakura's heart twisted. Oh, she knew he wasn't that bad. He was hot. And he was smart. And at one point in time, all Sakura had ever wanted was him to smile at her. Just once.

"He's an ass, Naruto," she replied.

"He's not . . . not an ass," Naruto agreed, unable to muster a defense. "But, he improves upon acquaintance, believe it!"

Sakura bit her lip, willing herself to act her age. You are an adult Sakura, she pleaded with herself. Adults work with people they don't like. It's part of the package. Like having life insurance and learning to cook. Annoying, but necessary for survival.

"It's fine, Naruto. Let's just forget the whole thing." She finally said. If she was straight with herself, she wasn't angry, her pride was hurt. It felt just like school all over again. Sasuke and Naruto, the class genius and the class clown, a tight twosome, excelling while Sakura sat in the back, grateful for any crumb of attention thrown her way. She had felt helpless, and knowing they both knew about the merger had brought her right back to her school days.

Naruto grinned wide, flashing his pearly whites. "Well, the nice thing Sakura is that Sasuke doesn't really do the type of law you do. He mainly does criminal law, so you'll probably never have to work with him!"

Sakura cringed. "Right . . . Listen, I'm done for the day. I can't concentrate anymore, so I think I'm going to head home."

"No Sakura! Come on! Let me take you for a drink. It's happy hour at Ichiraku! I'll gather the crew together, it'll be fun!" Sakura rubbed her face. She did want a drink. But she wanted it lying down, preferably in a bathtub, with an audiobook playing.

She glanced at her friend, his bright blue puppy eyes starring back at her.

"Pleasssseeee," he whined.

Sakura drummed her fingers on the desk, debating.

"Yes, alright, fine. I'll meet you there in 15 minutes, ok? Let me just wrap up a few things."

"Yes!" Naruto called out, fist pumping in the air in victory. "Rage all night!"

"No, Naruto, not rage all night. Zero raging. Negative raging will be had tonight."

But Naruto was already down the hall, shouting "rage all night! Rage all night!" as he went. Sakura heard a few assistants cheer back, and she stood, walked to her door, and shut it soundly. She stared back at herself in the mirror, taking in her makeup free face and slightly greasy hair, all casualties of her morning rush. Of all days to run into Sasuke Uchiha . . . .

Sakura laid her hand on the mirror softly and stared into her green eyes, digging deep for the self-love that had taken her so long to find.

"You, my friend, are an amazing, spectacular woman, who needs neither make-up, nor a shower, to be amazing and spectacular," she told her reflection. "Well, showers are generally a good idea, but we'll let this one pass."

After a few more breaths, Sakura gathered her bag, now significantly lighter without the weight of the binders, and after a moment of hesitation, left her suit jacket on the back of her chair. She would need to go in this weekend anyway, so why walk home with the heat trap on? Satisfied, she swung the door back open, and strolled to Tsunade's office.

"Come in," Tsunade called at the sound of Sakura's knock. Sakura pushed open the door and stepped inside.

"Sakura, is there something you nee—"

"I'll do it. I'll take the case."

* * *

Ichiraku's was crowded with happy hour patrons when Sakura arrived, all young professionals missing their ties and jackets, clearly ready to start the weekend. She glanced around until she spotted Naruto standing near the bar with Shikamaru and Temari, a sixth year associate at the firm who Sakura quite liked. She had a sneaky suspicion Shikamaru did as well.

"Sakura! Where you been? We were beginning to think you weren't coming!" Naruto yelled into her ear over the noise.

"Sorry, I had to talk to Tsunade first. But I'm here now," Sakura called back. "What are you drinking?"

"Beer, but it's almost out. Let me go grab you a drink. The usual?"

Sakura nodded, and Naruto hustled over to the bar, waiving down the familiar bartenders who smiled broadly at their favorite tipper. Sakura turned to Temari, who stood awkwardly next to Shikamaru, not touching, but still a little close than one normally expected of friends.

"Hey Temari, how you doing?" Sakura called. Temari smiled in greeting and the two began to chat, Shikamaru sipping his whiskey, clearly bored by the exchange.

"What do you think about it?" Temari finally asked him. "The merger, that is."

"It's bothersome," Shikamaru replied simply, taking another sip.

"Sakura? Are you also annoyed?"

"It's, it's clearly in the best interest of the firm, right? So, we should support it." She stated.

"Should we?" Shikamaru questioned. "It may be in the best interest for the partners, but is it in the best interest for the associates?" Sakura blinked.

"Do you know something we don't, Shikamaru?" She asked. He shook his head, suddenly bored again. "Not at all."

At that moment, Naruto returned, holding two beers and followed by an unwelcome sight.

"Uchiha," Shikamaru stated. It was more of an observance than a hello, but Sasuke nodded sharply towards the man.

"Nara."

"Look who I found by the bar!" Naruto laughed nervously, avoiding Sakura's furious eyes as he passed her a bottle of cold beer. "It's Sasuke!"

Sasuke stood sans tie and suit jacket, and he had rolled up the sleeves of his crisp white shirt, showing toned forearms and a heavy platinum watch on his left wrist. As he raised a bottle to his mouth, the metal flashed in the light. Sakura tried not to notice.

"Temari!" Sakura half-yelled over the crowd. "I don't think you've met Sasuke Uchiha? We all went to law school together, and Sasuke will be joining the firm in the merger." The two shook hands, Temari leaning in to ask some question Sakura couldn't hear.

There, that wasn't that bad, was it? Very civil. We can all be friends, can't we?

Naruto's phone rang and he answered it, looked up with a happy grin, and spun around, clearly looking for someone. He put his hand over the speaker and leaned into the group, yelling, "Hinata arrived, but she can't find us. I'll be right back."

Hinata worked as an in-house attorney for her family business. She too had been in their law school class, but in a different section. As a result, Naruto and her hadn't really gotten to know each other until their third and final year of school. By graduation, however, they were dating, and two years later, they were living together. Sakura was very pleased with the whole turn of events. Naruto had once harbored a small crush on Sakura, but he wasn't her type. Hinata and him were perfect together.

Speaking of type, Sakura suddenly found herself standing alone with Sasuke. She darted her eyes around for a buffer, but Naruto had left, and Temari and Shikamaru had apparently made their way to the bar for fresh drinks.

"Deserters," she whispered savagely at their retreating backs. If Sasuke heard—which she doubted given the noise in the place—he made no indication.

Sasuke took a long, measured sip from his beer, and looked down at Sakura. Their eyes caught briefly before they both looked away.

"So . . . Sasuke," Sakura finally said, unable to take the prolonged silence. "Why were you at the office today? I didn't see any other Uchiha Brothers associates around." Sasuke looked at her, as if weighing whether he wanted to answer, or just walk away. To her surprise, he leaned in slightly so she could hear him.

"Orochimaru was meeting with some members of your firm to discuss the transition. I came with." Sakura waited for him to continue, but apparently that was all the great Uchiha deemed necessary to share.

"Well, that's nice. Orochimaru must trust you with a great deal."

No reply.

"I know I always appreciate it when Tsunade asks my opinion on firm matters," Sakura blabbered on, her internal mind willing herself to stop. No reply. Sakura angled her body away slightly. Fine, if he wasn't going to try to make conversation, she sure as hell wouldn't.

They stood in silence and sipped their beers. Inside her head, Sakura was screaming into a pillow. Just as Sakura turned back to address Sasuke, ready to make an excuse about running to the restroom—but fully planning to secretly slip out the back—he surprised her by speaking.

"What?" She yelled, unable to hear him over the sudden influx of extra voices as a large group walked in, adding to the hustle.

He repeated himself to no avail. Sakura gestured at her ears, a look of confusion on her face.

Suddenly, Sasuke was behind her, his hot breath tickling her neck and sending a shiver down her spine.

"I see you found some appropriate work shoes," Sasuke spoke directly into her ear. "Or do you only break out the heels for happy hour?" Sakura felt a blush rise to her cheeks and turned to quip back, only to find him walking away, and Naruto arriving with Hinata, their hands clasped to stay together through the crowd.

Saved by the Hyuga, Sakura thought, embracing her purple haired friend. They made their normal hellos, and Sakura resisted the urge to scan the crowd for Sasuke, reminding herself that she did not like him, he did not like her, and that his eyes were very deep and penetrating. Wait. No. That wasn't right. Damnit, Sakura. She thought desperately. Pull it together.

Sakura finished the last of her bottle and leaned into Hinata.

"I'm going, tell Naruto for me ok?" Hinata nodded, looking at Sakura with big eyes and a silent question. "I'm fine! Just tired. I'll see you guys later ok?"

Hinata nodded, and Sakura squeezed herself through the throng of people towards the back door. As she went, she thought she felt a hot stare on her back, following her through the crowd. But when she reached the door and turned to look back, she saw no one.

* * *

 **Author Note:**

There were so many kind reviews and story follows, I decided to finish the next Chapter right away. Thank you! Your reviews are appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

* * *

Sasuke strolled into the bar, hands thrust lazily into his pockets. He observed the scene and sighed. The place was packed. He could never understand why Naruto insisted on coming to Ichiraku's. You could barely hear yourself think over the monotonous roar of post work banter. It made his skin itch.

Sasuke's phone buzzed and he pulled it out. A new message flashed on the screen.

Naruto: I see you. I'm by the bar.

Sasuke stuffed his phone back in his pocket and strolled over, dodging a passing tray of drinks carried by a heavy-set man in a black uniform. He spotted Naruto leaning against the marble bartop, chatting happily with the bartender as she placed two bottles in front of him.

"Thanks Ayame, put it on my tab," Naruto said, reaching for the bottles.

Sasuke moved quickly to pluck one off the counter before Naruto could grab it. Surprised, Naruto fumbled, knocking over the remaining bottle in a magnificent spray of foam.

"Crap!" Naruto shrieked, reaching for cocktail napkins from the pile by the register. Sasuke watched passively as Naruto threw no less than thirty paper squares at the mess, wiping frantically. Ayame appeared with a rag, shooing away Naruto's hands as she wiped up the fizz properly.

"Don't worry about it Naruto, I'll grab you another one," Ayame smiled, patting his hand in sympathy.

"Sorry about that Ayame," Naruto chuckled sheepishly. "Thanks. Actually, could you grab two?" Ayame nodded and turned away, grabbing the now empty amber bottle that lay on the bar top as she went. Naruto reached for a few more napkins and began to dot at his shirt and pants, attempting hopelessly to blot the small flecks of beer that had splattered down his front. Dissatisfied, he threw the clump of napkins down on the soaked pile and turned, scowling, to face his friend.

"What? Do they not pay you enough at Uchiha Brothers that you need to steal innocent people's beers?" Naruto whined.

Sasuke raised the bottle to his lips. "I assumed this was for me," he said simply with a shrug, taking a long swig.

Naruto glared. "No, idiot, that one was for Sakura." Sasuke paused, and took another sip.

"How strange. I was under the impression when you asked me for drinks this afternoon that it would be just the two of us. In fact, I believe you expressly said the words, 'it'll be just. us. two.'" Sasuke emphasized.

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Oh, did I say that? You must have misunderstood. What I meant was it would be us two _in addition_ to the Happy Hour Crew."

Sasuke gave him a look of disgust.

"The Happy Hour Crew?"

"Yes, Sasuke, the Happy Hour Crew. People with whom I work, whose company I enjoy, who, like us, enjoy a cold beer at the end of the day. Is that so bad?" Naruto grumbled, nodding his thanks to Ayame as she placed replacement beers in front of him.

Sasuke shook his head slowly. "No, it's not bad _per se_ , but if they're your friends, it likely is."

" _You're_ my friend, too, idiot," Naruto growled.

Sasuke smirked.

"Touché."

Naruto took hold of the new drinks carefully and stepped away from the bar, turning in a slow circle to face Sasuke.

"Listen. Before we go over there, can you do me a favor? Be nice to Sakura. She's been under a lot of pressure lately. Tsunade really piles on the work. I know you don't really care for her, but she's one of my best friends, and you're coming to work here anyway, so could you try? For me, please? It won't kill you. She's the greatest person, you just don't know her yet."

Sasuke chewed over the request, glancing across the room at the woman in question. Her bright hair made her easy to spot in the crowd. That's one plus, he thought to himself with a smirk. She should have considered a career in traffic control. Sakura was presently engaged in conversation with their old classmate Shikamaru and a spikey haired blonde woman he didn't know. Sakura's smile was wide and confident as they chatted, her hands gesturing to emphasize whatever point she was making. He noticed a few men watching her, lions in the jungle assessing prey, judging whether they should approach or wait.

Sasuke studied Sakura's face, not sure what to make of it. Was she pretty? He had never noticed before. He supposed she was, though he wouldn't go so far as to call her beautiful. She had a nice smile, and her eyes were large, framed by long lashes. She certainly wasn't ugly, which was strange. In his memory she was ugly.

Sakura seemed very different from the woman he remembered. Granted, he hadn't really known her in school, but from their interactions in the classroom, she had been rather annoying. She had seemed incapable of answering a cold call without jabbering on, and he had caught her more than once staring at him across the library while he studied. He was used to people staring at him. He was an Uchiha after all. But it didn't mean he liked it. The attention chafed.

He recalled one particular encounter with Sakura on one of their first days of school. She had been sitting before class with her friend—that loud blonde girl who wore tight shirts—arguing over who was more attractive, Professor Umino or Professor Gai. Great legal minds at work indeed.

But this Sakura seemed more serious. More . . . focused. Older, which, of course she was. He was too. Though he hadn't seen Sakura in several years, Naruto enjoyed updating Sasuke on their former classmates. Particularly during their weekend runs, when Sasuke couldn't escape. Naruto was fast. Sasuke had learned long ago it was easier to just let Naruto ramble on then to try to stop him.

He had been surprised to learn Senju LLP hired Sakura Haruno. Frankly, he had always thought she had come to law school not to become a lawyer, but to meet one. She seemed the type. But she was still there, three years later, and from what he heard, she was Tsunade's right hand woman no less. Sasuke was well aware of how well respected Tsunade was in the legal community. His father had always said so, and even Orochimaru handled her with kid gloves.

Despite knowing where she worked, Sasuke had still been surprised to see Sakura this morning. She had looked so irritated when he stopped the elevator, like he had killed her cat. It made him want to laugh. And those god awful bright pink shoes. He imagined she probably had a pair of heels stashed in her desk or something, but it was still funny. He wondered suddenly if she ran. He ran. Religiously. It was the best part of his day. Just him and the sound of his feet padding concrete, drowning out all other thought. He realized he kinda hoped she did. It made him want to like her.

Sasuke returned his gaze to Naruto, who was starring at him, waiting for an answer. "Yes, Naruto," Sasuke purred, "I am perfectly capable of handling boring conversation with boring people. Look at the conversation we're having right now. Perfectly polite."

Naruto rolled his eyes and began to make his way back to the group. "Just remember what I said," he called back over the noise. Sasuke followed, ignoring the usual ache to return to his condo and lace up his shoes. People were exhausting. Running was easy.

As Naruto approached, he saw the so called Happy Hour Crew smile, their grins faltering when they saw Sasuke walking behind.

"Uchiha," Shikamaru stated. It wasn't a cold greeting, but it wasn't exactly warm exactly either.

Sasuke nodded in reply, "Nara."

Naruto laughed awkwardly, handing Sakura a beer and avoiding her eyes. "Look who I found by the bar! It's Sasuke!"

Sakura gave Sasuke a quick look before sipping her beer, her face unreadable. He took a sip of his own. She looked up at him again, glanced away, and then back, as if gathering her strength.

"Temari!" She said, gesturing to the blonde woman on Shikamaru's left. "I don't think you've met Sasuke Uchiha? We all went to law school together, and Sasuke will be joining the firm in the merger." Sasuke extended a hand, and the woman took it. Her hand was firm and a little too warm. He resisted the urge to wipe his hand on his pants when they let go.

Temari leaned in. "I'm a sixth year associate in the litigation group. I assume you're a third year like these three?"

"Yes," he replied shortly. She stared at him, waiting for him to continue. He didn't.

Naruto suddenly jerked, wrestling in his pant pocket for his phone. He answered it, yelled something about Hinata arriving, and sped off, leaving Sasuke to fend for himself.

The foursome shifted uncomfortably for a moment before Temari and Shikamaru excused themselves, shaking their empty glasses to indicate the need for a refill. Sakura looked up sharply as they walked away, whispering something under her breath. Had she said deserts?

Sasuke sighed internally. Coming out had been a mistake. He should make up some excuse and get the hell out of here. Be nice, he reminded himself.

He regarded Sakura out of the corner of his eye, considering her features more closely. Had her eyes always been that green? The offending objects suddenly met his own, and he paused, surprised at her bold stare, before pulling his gaze away.

Sakura spoke, her voice clear and loud over the rumble. "So . . . Sasuke, why were you at the office today? I didn't see any other Uchiha Brothers associates around." Sasuke ran his thumb over the mouth of his beer bottle, considering her for a moment.

Leaning in so she could hear him—the place was damned loud—he called, "Orochimaru was meeting with some members of your firm to discuss the transition. I came with."

"Well, that's nice. Orochimaru must trust you with a great deal."

Sasuke's lip twitched. That was one way of putting it. Grooming him was another. Sakura looked at him, waiting for a reply.

"I know I always appreciate it when Tsunade asks my opinion on firm matters," she continued. He took another drink, choosing not to reply. The moments stretched.

He snuck another look at her, eyes lingering on the faint outline of a lacy bra through her silk shirt before raking his eyes downward, past her calves to her black heels. A smirk passed over his lips.

"I see you found some appropriate work shoes," he said slyly, looking for a reaction.

"What?" She yelled.

Sasuke leaned in slightly. "I see you found some appropriate work shoes," he repeated.

She made a face and raised her pointer fingers to her ears, gesturing helplessly.

Annoyed, Sasuke stepped up to her quickly, angling his body so he could reach her ear. He felt her body tense. "I see you found some appropriate work shoes," he said, his lips centimeters from the shell of her ear. "Or do you only break out the heels for happy hour?"

Her hair tickled his chin, and he was suddenly aware of just how close she was. She smelled liked rosemary and mint. He was far too close. Suddenly annoyed, he stepped away and turned back to the bar, hurriedly navigating between people. He kept his gaze straight ahead, refusing to look back at her as he pulled himself onto the sole vacant bar stool.

Noticing him, Ayame walked over. "Another one?" she asked. Sasuke blinked. The bartender smiled, indicating his nearly empty bottle. "Do you want another one?" She repeated.

Sasuke nodded his head in affirmation, reaching for his wallet.

"Oh, don't worry about that, Naruto said to put it all on his tab." Sasuke hesitated, but nodded, lowering his hand. Ayame smiled and ducked under the bar, grabbing a bottle from the fridge and popping back up, placing the new bottle down and skillfully popping off the cap with a fluid motion. Sasuke reached for the bottle.

"You should really get this on tap," he said.

Ayame smiled with her lips, the grin not quite reaching her eyes. "I'll see what I can do," she replied sweetly before turning away to help a waiting patron.

Sasuke picked at the bottle's label absently, debating whether to walk back to the group. He glanced back. Naruto had returned with Hinata, who was smiling as she chatted with Sakura.

He watched as Sakura put a hand on Hinata's arm and leaned into to her, whispering something. She leaned back and Hinata nodded, glancing over at Naruto. Sakura smiled, grabbed a bag from a nearby chair, and headed towards the back. Sasuke watched her go, studying the woman as she politely swerved out of people's way through the crowd. Sasuke turned back to the bar and drank deeply from his beer. He wiped his mouth with the slightly damp cocktail napkin, dipped into his wallet for a tip, and threw the bills on the counter.

Sakura had the right idea. It was time to go.

* * *

When Ino came home that night, she was greeted with an unfamiliar sight: Sakura, cooking.

"Hey Forehead," Ino crooned, hanging her keys on the hook next to the door and kicking off her shoes. "Everything ok?"

Sakura glanced up, wiping pink strands away from her forehead with the back of her hand.

"What? No, I mean yes, yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason," Ino smiled, "it's just you're surrounded by smoke and wearing an apron."

Sakura cursed and whipped around.

"Every damn time!" She shouted, pulling the skillet off the burner and examining the charred square within. "Alas, my poor grilled cheese," she whispered meekly, "I barely knew ye."

Ino walked into the kitchen, gently taking the pan from Sakura and walking to the trashcan, smoothly opening it with her foot and dumping the contents inside. Ino placed the pan back on the stove and turned off the burner, turning to face her friend.

"What's with the apron?" She asked.

Sakura looked down, stroking the pink fabric softly with her fingertips.

"I thought it was cute," she said simply.

Ino nodded, crossing her arms. "It's something alright."

Sakura narrowed her eyes and reached for the back ties, pulling the bow apart and lifting the apron off of her head. Ino watched.

"Have you given up?" She asked. Sakura, stuffing the apron into a drawer, grunted in resignation.

"Do you want pizza or sushi?" Turning to open the fridge, Sakura raised her hand at Ino in a passive gesture.

"Twist my arm then, pizza it is."

Thirty minutes later, Ino passed the delivery boy a crisp twenty through the door and accepted the weight of a hot pizza box.

"Thanks! Keep the change," she called, shutting the door behind her with her foot. Sakura had cleared away the evidence of last night's delivery from the coffee table and placed two beers from the fridge on the plastic coasters protecting the cheap wood. They weren't entirely without domestic knowledge.

Ino plunked the box down and sat on the plush couch (a gift from her parents), and pulled the lid open, sighing happily as the smell of green olives, cheese, and sausage hit her.

"An excellent choice Ino-Pig," Sakura agreed, situating herself on the floor between the couch and the table, a roll of paper towels in hand. She separated a piece of pizza from its brothers and blotted it with a paper towel before bringing the slice to her mouth.

"I always know best Forehead," Ino said, taking a piece for herself. "When will you ever learn?" They chewed in silence, washing down their first bites with the beer and sighing appreciatively. Sakura finished her piece and she reached for another, repeating her paper towel ritual and turning to look at her friend.

"Well, I had a very . . . interesting day," Sakura began. "After waking up late—thanks for checking on me, by the way—I arrived to work to learn we're merging with Uchiha Brothers."

Ino choked, hitting her chest with her fist as she coughed. Regaining her breath, she looked at Sakura, who was watching calmly, unperturbed by Ino's near death experience.

"Give a girl some warning first, geeze Sakura!"

"How do you think I felt? One moment I'm stumbling into the elevator, the next I'm staring into the eyes of Sasuke Uchiha!"

Ino blinked. "I'm sorry, did I miss something, how did we get from—"

"He was here today, Ino! Strutting—well not strutting exactly, but you know what I mean—strutting around like he owned the place, making fun of people's perfectly reasonable footwear, crashing happy hours and taking cases, being his normal arrogant self . . ." Sakura trailed off, realizing she had blotted all of the cheese off of her slice. She threw her piece back into the box. "And now he ruins dinners too!"

Ino watched Sakura carefully, a little afraid to move.

"Hey, uh, Crazy Girl? Let's assume for a moment I understood any of that little speech, which, by the way, I didn't. The last I heard, Sasuke _does_ own the place. Or he will someday. It's the _Uchiha_ Brothers," Ino said, stressing his last name. Sakura folded her arms across her chest.

"But he doesn't own Senju! Senju is mine! Mine and Naruto's and Shikamaru's and Tsunade's and, and not his!" Sakura exclaimed.

Ino nodded sympathetically. "Yes, yes, you're right, of course, calm down, drink your beer," she said, patting Sakura's head. Sakura sunk into the cushions further, letting out a long breath.

"Well," Ino continued, settling in too. "This _is_ interesting. Of course, lots of firms are merging these days, but Senju merging with the Uchiha Brothers! It's very unexpected . . . I wonder if my dad knew . . . Uchiha Brothers represents Yamanaka Corporation you know . . . No, I'm sure dad didn't know, he would have told me . . . You know, a merger like this isn't something that happens overnight. They've probably had this thing in the works for months! Tsunade never said anything huh? Oh don't give me that look! I'm not saying she should have, and she probably wasn't allowed to say anything anyway, even to her precious Sakura. Ouch, Sakura, no throwing paper towels!"

Sakura stood up and began to pace, grabbing her beer as she passed the coffee table and taking a drink. Ino watched, clutching the place the towels hit her arm in mock pain.

"Sakura," she said finally, "why do you care?" Sakura glanced over, taking another loop of the room.

"Why do I care? It's where I work, Ino, it affects me."

"No, I mean, why do you care about Sasuke? You seem more bothered about the idea of working with him than the actual merger . . . ." She said delicately, raising her hands a little as though Sakura might throw a bottle next.

Sakura stopped, shocked by the question.

"I, um, I don't know. I guess . . . um . . . it's stupid, really."

Ino looked her friend up and down. "You're wearing yoga pants with foot straps and a scrunchie. If you're worried about looking stupid, that train has already left the station."

Sakura glowered. "Thanks." She returned to the couch, putting down her beer and plunking next to Ino. Sakura hugged her knees, resting her forehead against them briefly before looking at her friend.

"Go on," Ino encouraged, taking another piece of pizza.

Sakura sighed. "In law school," she began, "I always felt two steps behind Naruto and Sasuke. You weren't in our section, Ino, you can't imagine the presence they had. It was overwhelming. Imagine . . . imagine training for a marathon, and showing up, and going to the front line and the starting pistol sounds, and you begin to run, but you see your friends pulling ahead of you, and you try to run faster, to keep up, but it's like running through pudding. And you reach the finish line eventually, but no one even notices, because the race has been over for hours, and you lost.

"That's what law school felt like, Ino. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't quite keep up. And yes, I know I have a great job and I feel really, _really_ lucky that Senju took a chance on me, but that's the point. They took a _chance_ on me. If it hadn't been for Professor Chiyo, I never would have gotten an offer from Senju. But once I was at the firm, I realized I was good at it, and I liked it. Really liked it. So, I worked hard, and Tsunade took notice. She liked my work. She liked _me_. I guess . . . I guess I just don't want to go backwards. I worked so hard to get here, and Sasuke makes me feel like I'm 22 again. I can tell he doesn't respect me, and the thought of sitting in a meeting with him, or having to work on a case with him, knowing he thinks every word out of my mouth is stupid bothers me . . . ."

Ino chewed the last bite of her slice and tossed the crust into the box, wiping her hands on a paper towel before taking Sakura's hands in her own.

"Sakura, sweetheart, trust me, nobody thinks your 22 anymore. Come on, look at your skin, it's as dry as the Sahara. And those crow feet!" Sakura tried to pull her hands out of Ino's, but the blonde held fast.

"Sakura, look at me." Reluctantly, Sakura did, wincing at Ino's intense stare. "You are an amazing lawyer. Truly. Tsunade wouldn't have taken you on if you weren't. She runs a business, not a charity. Sasuke is, well, he's Sasuke. He's stupid hot and he's brilliant and frankly he's a little socially inept. And he's probably going to take over the world someday and become the sexy evil overlord he was born to be. But no matter how impressive he is, he'll never be able to hold a light to you, because you have something he never will."

Sakura smiled softly. "What's that?" Ino grinned.

"A forehead so big—" Sakura pushed Ino back, the blonde cackling with delight as Sakura reached for a throw pillow and began to pummel her.

"Ouch, Sakura you're too strong for your own good! Your arms are massive! Manlike, even!"

"Ino-Pig!" Sakura shrieked, trying not to laugh despite herself.

"Please Sakura! Take the pizza! It's yours! I surrender!" Ino laughed, climbing over the back of the couch to freedom.

A knock sounded at the door. Ino's head shot up over the couch, her face red from mirth.

"Oh! That's probably Sai. You don't mind, right Sakura?" Sakura opened her mouth and closed it, shaking her head and smiling.

"Of course not. Come in Sai, the door is open!" She called. Sai opened it, slipping inside and closing it again with military precision. Which made sense, considering he was a JAG Officer.

"Hi, Sai," Sakura said, a little out of breath, throwing the pillow back down on the couch.

"Sakura," Sai nodded to her, "I see you and Ino have been engaging in a 'pillow fight.'" He said, gesturing with his fingers around the words. "I am told by my fellow officers that pillow fights are an excellent way to initiate sex."

Sakura blinked at him.

"Yahhhhh," she said finally, "I'll let you two be alone."

"Oh no, Sakura, you don't need to leave, we were just going to watch some T.V."

"No, no, I insist!" Sakura said, grabbing another slice of pizza. "I have some stuff to do anyway."

She walked down the hallway, trying not to listen as Ino greeted her boyfriend with a wet kiss.

"So, Sai, tell me more about these pillow fights," Ino said saucily. Sakura rolled her eyes. Gross.

* * *

After shutting her door soundly and turning on some music, hoping it would be enough to drown out the inevitable sounds that would come from the living room, Sakura opened her window and crawled onto the fire escape.

She stood, letting the cool night air caress her face. The city stretched out before her, the buzz of the night greeting her like an old friend. She closed her eyes and took a long breath in, held it, and let it out slowly.

Why was she so irritated by Sasuke? She hadn't thought twice about any of the others who were coming from Uchiha Brothers. It was just Sasuke who seemed to grate at her soul. Just seeing him put her on edge. He made her feel hyperaware of her every imperfection, like he could see straight through her.

"Sasuke Uchiha," she whispered into the darkness. "What am I going to do with you."

* * *

Author Note:

Oh dear. How _do_ you solve a problem like Sasuke Uchiha? Keep reviewing and following my loves! More to come soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

* * *

"Large coffee please," Sakura asked the cashier, passing him her pink travel mug.

"Any cream?"

"No, just black thanks," Sakura said. She passed the man a few bills and accepted the now piping hot cup, careful not to spill a single precious drop as she moved away from the counter, fastening the lid. She needed liquid courage today, and as drinking liquor at work was frowned upon, coffee would have to do.

The weekend had come and gone, and it was Monday already, much to Sakura's panic. Sai had—as Sakura knew he would—spent the entire weekend at their apartment, Ino's legs draped across his lap as they cuddled on the couch, binge watching some reality T.V. show about first time home buyers.

On Sunday afternoon, sick of hearing Ino yell profanities at young couples caught up on the color of their future living room walls—"you can paint the room Sharon!"—Sakura had thrown her favorite sweatshirt in her bag, slipped on loafers, and headed to the office. Once there, she had studiously worked for a few hours, took a break to eat a yogurt, and when her project was finished, emailed it off to Tsunade.

Not quite ready to return home, Sakura took a stroll down to 44 to raid the supply room for fresh pens and highlighters. There was a supply room on every floor, but Sakura preferred the one on 44. That's where the office manager stored the slim, pink highlighters Sakura liked best. Sakura hummed as she went, walking past the large painting of the bonsai tree that hung outside her office and through the darkened hallway to the internal staircase. She descended the stairs into the firm's main lobby, hand gently holding the silver railing.

She stopped on the last step and whistled. Movers had clearly been there the day before. Above the receptionist desk was a brand new sign, the white letters spelling out Senju & Uchiha LLP against a black marble wall. Sakura hopped off the last step and approached the sign, studying her firm's new name.

"Senju and Uchiha LLP," she read out loud, trying the name on her tongue. She had to admit, it sounded good. Curious, Sakura took a tour of the level, stopping whenever she recognized a new nameplate to sneakily glance inside. It appeared most of the new associates were down here, which made sense. This level had most of the empty offices. Nobody liked being on the floor with the conference rooms. It was too loud.

Sasuke's office must be upstairs, Sakura noted, startled to realize she had been looking for his name.

"Who cares where his office is," she whispered to herself angrily as she stomped over to the supply room, gathering her highlighters before heading back upstairs. As she passed offices on her way back, she kept her gaze straight ahead, purposefully ignoring the nameplates.

Back in her office, Sakura situated herself in front of the computer and woke up the screen with a wiggle of the mouse. A new email sat in her inbox. She clicked it and read.

 _To: S. Haruno_

 _From: T. Senju_

 _Subject: New Pro Bono Matter_

 _Sakura,_

 _Are you available tomorrow morning at 9:30 for a meeting with Orochimaru, Sasuke, and I to discuss the new pro bono matter?_

 _Tsunade_

Sakura stared at the email, considering very seriously replying to her mentor that she was not, in fact, available. Instead, Sakura clicked reply and began to type.

 _To: T. Senju_

 _From: S. Haruno_

 _Subject: Re: New Pro Bono Matter_

 _Tsunade,_

 _Yes._

 _Thanks,_

 _Sakura_

She hit send. A moment later, her computer binged.

 _To: S. Haruno_

 _From: T. Senju_

 _Subject: Re: New Pro Bono Matter_

 _Thanks. Reserve a conference room and send around an invite._

Reluctantly, Sakura opened a calendar invite, located a free conference room for the next morning, and looked up Orochimaru and Sasuke's email in the system. Finding them—damn I.T. moved fast—she added their emails and hit send. No turning back now.

Ten minutes later, Sakura powered down her computer and headed home. When she arrived, Sai was gone, and Ino was wrestling a full garbage bag out of the kitchen can.

"Forehead! Thank goodness you're back. Take this down to the chute please."

After an uneventful night spent tidying the apartment and listening to Ino droll on about this and that, Sakura had fallen into bed, exhausted.

Now, less than twelve hours later, Sakura was back to the grind. Balancing her coffee cup and bag, she opened her office door, dropped her bag on the closest guest chair, and seated herself in her swivel seat. After switching on her desktop, she listened dutifully to her voicemail, jotted a note for herself on a post-it, and reached for her coffee cup.

As she brought the cup's lip to her mouth, she heard a soft cough and looked up.

Sasuke leaned against the doorframe, looking annoyed.

Sakura stared at him. Sasuke stared at her.

"Hi," she said slowly.

Sasuke's brow twitched. "Hi," he said back. Sakura continued to stare, drinking in the sight of his tall figure filling her doorframe, blocking her only escape route. He was wearing a pinstriped suit today. It looked expensive. She suddenly felt very self-conscious.

"Are you going to invite me in?" Sasuke finally asked.

"Oh! Yes. Sorry. Come in!" Sakura said with false sweetness, jumping up to move her bag from the guest chair so he could sit.

Sasuke walked in and gracefully sat, placing two binders she hadn't noticed before on her desk. He situated himself, placed his right ankle over his left knee, and looked at her.

"Orochimaru asked me to drop these off for you in advance of our meeting this morning."

Sakura glanced at the clock.

"You mean the meeting that's in twenty minutes?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"I stopped by earlier, but you weren't in yet," he said pointedly.

Sakura resisted the urge to throw a pen at him and reached instead for the top binder, dragged it closer, and flipped it open. Across the top the typed print read Report of Investigation by the Konoha Medical Examiner. She looked at him.

"I assume this is for the pro bono matter. Do you know much about the case?"

Sasuke shifted. "A little. Orochimaru only discussed it with me last Friday, but I looked over those materials this weekend," he said, nodding at the binders. "Apparently there are boxes full of the original case file coming today. Those are just the main materials."

Sakura nodded, glancing back down. She flipped the page, curious what else they had. It looked like a couple of police reports, an interview transcript, some medical records, and an arrest warrant. In the back, tucked into the binder's pocket, was a color photograph of a teenage boy dressed in blue jeans and a white t-shirt. Sakura pulled the photograph out.

"Whose this?" She asked, turning the photograph over to see if a name was written on the back.

"Our client."

Surprised, Sakura glanced up.

"This kid can't be older than thirteen."

Sasuke rose and leaned over the desk to look at the photo with her.

"I believe that was taken right before his arrest, so he would have been fourteen, actually. He's nineteen now."

Sakura put the photograph down.

"Fourteen huh?" She said quietly. Sasuke looked at her for a moment, his eyes lingering on her fingers, which were absently stroking the photographs edges. He picked up the other binder and placed it in front of her.

"I recommend you start here. As you know, all murder cases have an automatic appeal. The appellate filings are in there, and this one," Sasuke said, flipping to the right page, "lays out the facts fairly well."

"Thanks, that's a good idea," Sakura said, glancing at the clock. "What can you tell me before the meeting though? You know, the five minute summary."

Sasuke stood to his full height, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"The five minute summary?" He said in a slightly mocking voice.

Sakura felt her cheeks pink.

"Tsunade always asks me that when we're in a rush," she said defensively, feeling the need to explain herself. "Give me the five minutes summary Haruno, time is money!" She said in a mock Tsunade voice. Sasuke just stared at her.

"It's fine, I'll just skim this quick," Sakura said, raising her hand in a shooing gesture. "Go on without me." Instead of leaving, Sasuke walked to Sakura's window and looked down, a bored expression on his face. Sakura turned in her chair, watching him expectantly. After what felt like minutes, Sasuke spoke.

"His name," Sasuke began, "is Haru Tanaka. Five years ago, a convenience store owner named Akari Hino was found with his neck slashed in the alley behind his store. At trial, the prosecution sold it as a burglary gone wrong. The theory was that Haru hid in the alley and waited until store close. When Akari brought out the trash at the end of the night, Haru tried to push into the store. Akari resisted, so Haru killed him."

"Geeze," Sakura said, wincing slightly. "Pretty cold hearted for a fourteen year old. What connected Haru to the murder?"

"Three things," Sasuke replied, ticking them off on his long fingers as he spoke. "One, someone made an anonymous call to police that they had seen a young man matching Haru's description running away from the scene. Two, Haru had a previous arrest for shoplifting from that same store. That, plus the anonymous description, was enough for a search warrant. Bringing us to number three. A large knife found under Haru's mattress. The handle and blade had been wiped clean, but the medical examiner testified that it was a match for the knife wound. The kid was convicted of second-degree felony murder after a three-day trial, and sentenced to death. His public defender put on a . . . limited . . . defense. The appeal was similarly lackluster. The appellate court affirmed the conviction and the sentence, and Haru has been sitting on death row ever since."

Sakura studied the photo in her hand.

"Pretty compelling evidence . . . why do we think he's innocent?"

Sasuke, still looking out the window, shrugged.

"Someone wrote to the Freedom Project—or whatever it's called—saying they knew who the real murderer was. They didn't sign their name of course, but it was enough for the FFP to look at the case. Haru has always maintained his innocence, and given his age and the viciousness of the crime, there were enough red flags to warrant an inquiry."

"Do you believe him?"

"No, but it's good publicity for the firm, whether he's lying or not." Sasuke said simply.

"Charming," Sakura muttered. She looked at Sasuke a moment longer before standing and gathering the binders together. "Well, I suppose we should head down. Tsunade appreciates punctuality."

Awkwardly, Sakura tucked her new binders under one arm and grabbed her still hot coffee with her other hand. She walked into the hall, Sasuke following two steps behind her, a silent, brooding shadow. They walked in silence, passing rows of assistants whose heads jerked up as they passed, their eyes glued to Sasuke like hawks. If he was annoyed by the attention, he didn't let it show. It certainly annoyed _her_ , however. She narrowed her eyes dangerously at one assistant who had suddenly felt the need to stand from her desk and let down her long black hair. The assistant's seductive pout fell instantly when she noticed Sakura's glare.

"Misuka," Sakura said curtly as they passed.

"Go-oo-od morning Sakura," the assistant replied nervously, sinking back into her chair.

"Do you make all of the assistants tremble Sakura?" Sasuke asked softly behind her.

Sakura pretended not to hear him. He was trying to goad her. No good would come of it. They reached the end of the hall, and Sakura turned to him, pointing at the stairs.

"We'll be in conference room 44E. I'm going to run to the restroom quick, but it's just down the stairs to the left, past the receptionist desk. Can't miss it." Sasuke smirked and turned to descend the stairs. Sakura continued straight towards the women's restroom. She just needed a few minutes to herself somewhere Sasuke definitely couldn't pop up and disturb her. His mere presence sent her heart beat into overdrive. It wasn't fear, exactly, or excitement. It was something else, and it made her hyperaware of her every molecule.

Mere feet from her destination, she heard a shout.

"Sakura!"

She sighed, paused, and backed up a few feet to look through an open office door.

"Yes, Lee?" Rock Lee, sitting at his desk, gave her a wide smile, his teeth blindingly bright.

"Sakura, did you have a most excellent weekend?" He asked happily, standing quickly. He wore his trademark green suit, an orange bowtie tied sharply around his muscled neck.

"Yes, I did," Sakura said, smiling despite herself, "and you?"

"Oh, most excellent! Professor Gai and I met for our usual Sunday morning workout, and I completed a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle! Most difficult work Sakura, but rewarding when it was finally complete! I'm contemplating having it framed, but Neji tells me my office is too crowded for more décor."

Sakura glanced around. "Oh, I don't know Lee, there's an empty spot right over there," she said laughing, gesturing at the only spare stretch of wall in the entire room.

"Well spotted Sakura! I'll have to reconsider. Although, Neji always says a crowded office is a crowded mind."

"True," Sakura said in a serious tone. "And a crowded mind is no good for business, is it? Well Lee, I have a meeting so I need to run. Have a nice day," she said, edging out of the room.

"Oh! Sakura, maybe next weekend—"

But Sakura was already down the hall, biting her lip as she pretended not to hear. Being hard of hearing seemed to be the theme of the day. She knew what he was going to ask, and she didn't want to have to tell him no. Again. He was insistent, she had to give him that. But the bowl cut look just didn't do it for her, no matter how fit he was. And he was _very_ fit.

After a quick restroom stop, Sakura made her way down to the conference room. Through the glass wall she could see Sasuke sitting at the long mahogany table with a man whose pale skin looked almost translucent under the florescent lights. His long black hair was tied back in a low ponytail, and Sakura noticed with surprise that his eyes were a disturbing shade of yellow. Who had yellow eyes?

The man was speaking with Sasuke, whose face was set in his normal bored mask. Tsunade sat on the other side of the table, typing away on a laptop, ignoring them both.

Sakura opened the door and placed her things on the table next to Tsunade. Both men looked up as she walked in, the older man's smile growing as he looked her up and down, seemingly appraising her. He stood and extended his hand to Sakura across the table.

"You must be Sakura," he said, his voice a soft, predatory hiss.

"Orochimaru, I presume. It's a pleasure," she said, taking his offered hand, willing herself not to flinch. His palm was uncomfortably soft, and he held her hand for a beat too long, his narrow yellow eyes accessing her.

"I hear from Tsunade you are one of the most promising young associates at the firm," Orochimaru said, finally letting go. "Indeed, I heard that last year you even second chaired the Demusk trial. Very impressive work."

Sakura thought she heard a scoff from her left and she resisted the urge to send an angry glare at Sasuke. Orochimaru, still smiling, reseated himself. Taking the cue, Sakura took her own chair, smoothing down the back of her dark green suit dress as she sat.

"Oh, I don't know about that," she said, brushing off the compliment. "It was a group effort really. Tsunade is an excellent teacher," she added diplomatically, smiling at her mentor.

Tsunade, still typing furiously on the keys of her laptop, gave Sakura a sideways glance.

"I couldn't have done it without her," she said, closing her laptop while reaching with the other hand for the carafe of coffee in the middle of the table. She poured herself a cup and ripped open a pink sugar packet, stirring it in with a small spoon. She clinked the spoon against the cup and placed it on the saucer.

"Now that we've all met, let's proceed, shall we? Sakura, I believe Sasuke filled you in on the case this morning?" She asked, looking at her protégé.

"Yes, he did," Sakura replied, "although I haven't had an opportunity yet to review the materials."

"No matter," Orochimaru said with a flick of his wrist, "Sasuke is prepared. Sasuke, present."

In military fashion, Sasuke stood, walked to the far side of the room, and picked up a dry erase marker. Turning to the white board that ran along the wall, he uncapped it and began to write, speaking as he did.

"Client name: Haru Tanaka. Victim name: Akari Hino. Crime: Second-degree felony murder. Procedure: Post-conviction petition." Below this he wrote, "Plan of Attack," before turning back to the room.

"I understand Senju doesn't normally handle criminal law cases," Orochimaru said, his voice airy. "Sasuke, could you explain where we are procedurally in the case?" Sakura felt Tsunade tense next to her. She willed her sensei silently to take a breath.

Sasuke spoke. "The client exhausted his final appeal last year. The only available procedure left to him is post-conviction relief. This entails petitioning the court for a new trial. Such petitions are infrequently granted, and generally require a showing of either corruption or newly discovered evidence."

"Yes," Orochimaru agreed. "Plan of attack?"

"Reinvestigate," Sasuke said, his voice emotionless. "Interview the client and victim's families, examine the evidence, and attract enough media attention that someone who knows something hopefully comes forward."

"Good. Add that to the board. Anything thoughts Tsunade?"

Her fingers steepled, Tsunade shifted onto her elbows. "Sakura, I want you to take a look at the autopsy materials and the medical examiner's testimony. Let's make sure this medical examiner knew what he was talking about."

"We should hire an expert to do that," Sasuke said, interrupting. Tsunade looked at him.

"We will. But Sakura has a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's of science in anatomical and translational sciences. Before we invest the time and money in an expert, let's get an idea of what we're working with first." Sakura shifted uncomfortably, aware of the eyes suddenly on her.

"I, uh, graduated early from high school," she offered, her hand on the back of her head as she laughed quietly.

"Well?" Tsunade said sharply, "write it down Sasuke." The man turned, reluctantly, and noted the action item. The room grew quiet.

"Sasuke, anything else?" Orochimaru purred.

"I recommend we start by speaking with the client," Sasuke said, recapping the marker.

"Agreed," Tsunade said. "You and Sakura should go this week if possible."

Internally, Sakura groaned.

"I don't need to g—" she began, halting when Tsunade gave her a severe look.

"I want two sets of ears and eyes at all interviews," Tsunade said, glancing at Orochimaru. "I assume you agree?"

"Yes, always better to handle such matters in a team. Safety in numbers, after all."

"That settles it. Sasuke, call the prison and see if they can make the client available sometime this week. Sakura, get started on reviewing the case file, especially the autopsy report."

"Hai, Tsunade," Sakura said.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Enter," Tsunade called.

Shizune stuck her head in, smiling apologetically.

"Good morning, Tsunade. There's a man at the front desk from the public defender's office. He has a large amount of boxes with him."

"Perfect timing," Tsunade replied, turning to Sasuke. "Sasuke, why don't you have those boxes brought to your office?"

Sasuke nodded, following Shizune. Orochimaru stood.

"Tsunade, don't forget, we still need to talk about the press conference. I have, thoughts . . ." Orochimaru said, looking at Sakura with a smirk. "Sakura, make sure you and Sasuke keep Friday free, won't you?" She blinked, glancing at Tsunade.

"Yes, Orochimaru, an email is going out today. She'll be there." Tsunade sighed, running her manicured nails through her blonde hair as she glanced at Sakura. "Sakura, would you excuse us please? I'll find you later."

Sakura bowed and quickly gathered her things. She exited, glancing back at Tsunade as she left. She looked more tired than usual. Drained, even. Orochimaru looked, well, creepy. She didn't like leaving Tsunade alone with him, but Tsunade was a big girl, after all. She could take care of herself.

Sakura walked back to the lobby where Sasuke was directing a squat man dressed in khakis. Shizuno watched from the reception desk, her head resting on her palm.

"Bring those boxes up my office. It's one level up, down the hall to the left, just past the painting of the bonsai tree." Sasuke said drily, studying the ten or so white legal boxes the man had on his pushcart. "Just put them anywhere, I'll deal with them later."

Sakura blinked. Just past the bonsai tree? Wasn't that . . . .

Sasuke turned, striding out of the room to the stairs.

"Sasuke!" Sakura called, trying to hustle after him as gracefully as she could given the fact she was wearing three-inch heels. He didn't turn, continuing to stride up the stairs.

"Sasuke!" She called again, taking the steps two at a time to catch up. Again, he didn't turn.

"I know you can hear me," she said. He turned suddenly, and she faltered, her foot slipping.

A strong hand shot out, catching her by the arm before she ate floor. Sasuke looked down at her, onyx eyes penetrating her own.

"What?" He asked with a tone of irritation, pulling her not so gently up towards him until her feet connected with solid ground.

Sakura's breath caught in her throat. "I, um—"

"What, Sakura?" He asked again, letting go of her as soon as she steadied herself. "I have work to do."

Sakura's brow twitched in anger.

"I was going to talk to you about the prison visit," she said, stepping away from him and brushing imaginary lint off of her lapel.

"Scared of the murders?" He mocked. Sakura looked up.

"What? No. I just wanted to tell you that Orochimaru said we need to keep Friday free."

Sasuke turned on heel, walking back towards Sakura's office.

"I know," he said as Sakura followed after him, her heels clicking on the marble floor. "Any other requests? Perhaps not a morning appointment, I know you prefer to come to work in your own time."

"How considerate," she bit through her teeth.

"The prison is a three hour drive, by the way," Sasuke added, making his way past the row of assistants. "So make sure you leave early enough." The women assistants (and a few men) stared at his back as he walked, eyes snapping back to their computers the minute they saw Sakura following behind.

Good. Sakura thought stiffly. Mind your business.

"Three hours away?" Sakura asked as they neared her office. "How do we get there?"

" _You_ drive, Sakura. You drive" Sasuke sighed, passing by her open door and rounding the corner. Sakura hesitated before following him around the bend. As she feared, she saw him enter the next doorway. She was going to kill Tsunade.

Reluctantly, Sakura followed Sasuke into the office. Warm morning light spilled across a classic wood desk, a computer tucked into one corner next to a phone and a green glass banker's lamp. In front of the desk, Sasuke took a seat on a long leather couch. It was the color of toffee, and across from it sat two stiff armchairs in complementary brown suede. A glass coffee table sat between the furniture, spotless save for a legal dictionary and an appellate brief dotted with post-it notes. There was no art on the walls. No pictures of family or friends. The only decoration was a large banner with the Uchiha crest embroidered on delicate blue silk.

Despite the decor, there was no mistaking the space.

"You got Jiraiya's office?" Sakura ground out, her voice bordering on a shriek. The corner of Sasuke's lip twitched, amusement sparkling in his eyes.

"Jealous?"

"No!" Sakura yelled back.

A knock sounded at the doorway, startling them both.

"Everything ok, Sasuke?" Asked a young woman with a low cut shirt and tight skirt, her ample chest rising with her breath. Sakura glowered. What was it, floozy day?

"He's fine, thank you," Sakura spit, shutting the door in the brunette's face before turning back to the now openly smirking man. "I see you managed to inherit not only Jiraiya's office but his taste in secretaries too," she said, folding her arms over her chest.

Sasuke just shrugged, picking up the brief in front of him.

"I heard her dictation is excellent," he said smoothly. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Sasuke, this is a partner's office. It has a private bathroom for god's sake!" She said, gesturing to the closed door. "How did you manage to get it?"

"At Uchiha Brothers, we always gave the nicest offices to the most valuable attorneys." He said simply.

"Or the ones with their names on the door," Sakura muttered. She regretted her comment instantly as she saw Sasuke's smirk turn into a hard line.

"What do you need, Sakura," he asked, his playful tone gone. Sakura paused, the words stuck in the back of her throat.

"I don't drive," she said finally.

"What?"

"I. Don't. Drive," Sakura repeated slowly, leaning back on her heels, her long nails digging into her forearms.

Sasuke looked up from his paper.

"You don't know how to drive?" He asked after a beat.

"I _know_ how to drive," Sakura said, her irritation rising, "I just, don't. I've lived in the city my entire life. I don't own a car, and I don't have a current license. I've never needed to."

Sasuke shifted. "I suppose this is your way of asking for a ride to visit the client," he stated.

Sakura licked her teeth, her hackles rising.

"Yes," she said, looking anywhere but Sasuke's curiously blank face. The moments stretched.

"Fine." Sakura's head snapped up.

"What was that?"

"I said fine," Sasuke repeated, looking down at his paper. "You heard Tsunade. We're both to go. What other option is there?"

Sakura looked at him, debating whether to be difficult or accept his offer with grace. She settled for the latter.

"Thanks," she said slowly. He nodded, turning the page. She waited for him to continue. When he didn't, Sakura opened his door, feeling dismissed.

"Let me know, then, I guess, what the prison says. Any day but Friday," she reminded.

When Sasuke didn't acknowledge her, Sakura clicked away, heading back to her own office. Sasuke's secretary stood just outside his door, jumping as Sakura passed.

When Sakura reached her own door, she stared at the small room, observing her space. No couch. No private bathroom. No leather.

"What a joke," she said, sitting in her office chair. She spun to face the window. At least I have a nice view, she thought to herself. A sudden, violent thought occurred to her.

"Son of a bitch," she whispered, realizing with a start that she could see straight into Sasuke's window. "I just can't catch a break, can I," she said, reaching to lower the blinds.

This was going to be a very, very long week.

* * *

Author Note:

Posted a little later than I wanted, but hey, life happens. Thank you as always for the lovely reviews and follows. I love to hear from you!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

* * *

Blessedly, Sakura managed to avoid Sasuke for the rest of the day. She slipped out of her office once for a refill of coffee and to grab her lunch from the kitchen fridge, but otherwise she kept to her desk. Sasuke seemed to be likewise avoiding her. Although his section of hallway ended in a dead end, meaning he had to walk past Sakura's open door if he wanted to leave his office, Sakura had seen neither hide nor hair of him all morning. Not that she was looking, of course.

Around noon, she saw Naruto stride happily past her open door, his arms swinging by his sides in a jaunty gait. A few minutes later, she heard his raised, raspy voice through the wall she shared with Sasuke. She flinched as she heard a thump, a yell that sounded suspiciously like the word idiot, and then the slam of a door. Naruto lumbered into her office moments later, his face twisted in a pout. Leaning his head against her doorframe, he fixed her with puppy dog eyes.

"Sakura, do _you_ want to get ramen with me?" He cooed. She raised her half-eaten bento box.

"Sorry Naruto, I'm all set."

Naruto sighed pathetically. "Ramen elitists, each and every one of you . . ." he muttered, walking away.

Sakura finished her lunch in peace and worked undisturbed until about four in the afternoon. Then, as promised, Tsunade had swung by, Shizune dutifully following behind with a glossy folder in hand. Tsunade sat, and Shizune closed Sakura's door, standing before it like a roman sentinel. What was it with people blocking her escape route lately?

"Good afternoon Sensei," Sakura said politely, closing down the document she was working on before turning to face her teacher. Tsunade smiled tightly.

"So," she began, drumming her sharp nails on the arm of the chair, "you're about to get an email from the marketing department. In it, you will see the firm's official announcement regarding the merger. There are some niceties about each firm, but you'll see the general theme is one of two great firms reconnecting, reuniting, and reinvesting in Konoha."

Sakura nodded. No surprises there. Tsunade continued.

"What you will also see is an invitation to the inaugural Senju and Uchiha Casino Royale Charity Ball."

Sakura blinked.

"The what?"

"The Senju and Uchiha Casino Royale Charity Ball," Tsunade repeated drily. Sakura eyed Shizune, who shrugged.

"We're throwing a _ball_?" Sakura asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. What, would she need to find glass slippers?

"It was Orochimaru's idea," Tsunade stated coolly, her fingers still drumming a steady rhythm.

"The casino part was yours . . ." Shizune mumbled quietly out of the side of her mouth. Tsunade shot her a dirty look.

"It's. For. Charity." She ground out. Shizune paled slightly.

Tsunade continued, annoyance evident in her tone. "Orochimaru feels it is important for us to introduce the firm . . . formally . . . to the community. The Charity Ball will allow us to kill two birds with one stone. We will celebrate the formation of Senju and Uchiha, while also demonstrating quite publically that the firm is fully committed to bettering Konoha. Attendance from the firm is expected," her eyes narrowed meaningfully as she looked between Sakura and Shizune. "Clients will also, of course, be invited, as will many of Konoha's other best and brightest."

"It's like a wedding," Shizune volunteered, glancing at Sakura. "Except we're donating all the gift money to local non-profits."

It was a good idea, Sakura admitted to herself. It would be the talk of the town. Ugh. Ino would have a field day helping Sakura find something to wear. Sakura grimaced internally as she realized Ino would probably be invited too. She worked for Yamanaka Corporation after all, which was one of Orochimaru's major clients. More importantly, however, she _was_ a Yamanaka. Fabulous. Sakura would be third wheeling with Ino and Sai.

I could always find a date, she mused. A sudden vision of Rock Lee pulling up to her apartment in a stretch limousine wearing a green tuxedo with orange cummerbund flashed across her mind. No. Absolutely not. Third wheeling it was.

Sakura refocused on Tsunade.

"Is there a reason you're telling me this ahead of the announcement, Sensei?"

"Yes, Sakura," Tsunade said, her fingers ceasing their drumming. "On Friday, Orochimaru and I are meeting with a few of our more important clients to explain the finer points of the merger, and of course extend a personal invitation for them to join us at our table for the event. Shizune and . . . what was his name again?" Tsunade asked, looking back at the lawyer.

"Kabuto Yakushi. He was a senior associate at Uchiha Brothers," Shizune provided quickly.

"Shizune and Kabuto will be joining us for the meeting. But afterwards, we would like you to join us in taking the clients out for dinner and drinks. Shizune is—unavailable—for the evening," Tsunade said, eyeing the woman in question. Shizune avoided Sakura's eyes.

Unavailable my ass, Sakura thought resentfully. Shizune just hated client schmoozing.

"Shizune, the talking points please," Tsunade asked, gesturing with her hand towards Sakura. Shizune passed over the folder obediently. Sakura took it gingerly.

"Orochimaru and I drafted those in anticipation of likely questions the clients may ask, and areas you should try to bring up over dinner to the extent it is natural to do so. You'll see the Charity Ball is on there, as well as some historical facts about the firm's founding. All safe topics."

Sakura opened the folder, skimming the bullet points as Tsunade spoke.

"I see I am also delighted at the prospect of expanding my practice to encompass new areas of law, such as . . . criminal law . . ." Sakura said, her voice dying. She looked at Tsunade and smiled bitterly, her sharp mind working. "Sasuke's coming too, isn't he?"

Tsunade inclined her head in acknowledgment.

"Sensei," Sakura asked, putting the folder down so she could rub her temples. "Must he?"

"He may be—curt—Sakura, but Sasuke has an important role to play in this merger. Many of Uchiha Brother's clients remember Sasuke's father and brother fondly. His sheer presence will breed confidence in the future of the firm. It is my expectation you will help him in this task," Tsunade pressed, her voice firm.

"Naruto's not available?" Sakura asked hopefully, looked up in between her fingers.

"No. Naruto is a plaintiff's attorney. The type of clients we will be entertaining Friday night will no doubt prefer to speak with defense attorneys like us, whose work actually benefits them. Besides, Naruto will be out of town Friday taking a deposition and will not be back in town until Saturday afternoon. And even if he _was_ here Sakura, you're the better person for the task."

In spite of herself, Sakura glowed at the compliment. Tsunade rarely praised her so openly. Resigned, she grabbed a pen.

"What time?" She asked sighing.

Tsunade smiled softly, pulling herself up from the chair. "We'll meet you at the restaurant at 7:00 PM. I'll have my assistant connect with yours regarding details. It should be a productive evening Sakura."

Sakura stood respectfully and bowed. Shizune opened the door for Tsunade, who walked gracefully into the hall. As Shizune turned to follow her, Sakura caught her eye, giving her a vicious glare. Shizune ducked her head apologetically.

"Sorry, Sakura, you'll be great!"

When the women departed, Sakura tried to return to her work, but found her mind unable to process the words on the page. How much of Sasuke Uchiha could a girl be expected to tolerate in one week? And at a client event no less. Sakura tried to imagine Sasuke sitting at the bar, laughing with a client over a martini. It seemed highly unlikely.

The email Tsunade promised pinged into her inbox. She clicked it, skimming the text. About midway down there was gorgeous 1920s inspired graphic of a roulette table. They were really going hard with this whole casino theme, Sakura mused. And look, it was black tie. Where the hell did one find an evening gown? As she read, the noise level outside her office began to rise to an unbearable level as staff buzzed excitedly. Clearly they found the event a delightful idea.

Sakura's phone buzzed and she picked it up, sliding the screen open when she saw who had texted her.

 _Temari: Is this for real?_

 _Sakura: Apparently so._

 _Temari: It seems unnecessarily over the top. And its next month. Not much time to prepare. Unless they've been planning this for awhile?_

 _Sakura: I have a sneaky suspicion they have._

 _Temari: Perks of being the boss's favorite. Do you think we should bring dates?_

 _Sakura: Ha. And who exactly would I bring?_

 _Temari: Kiba?_

 _Sakura: Ha. Ha._

 _Temari: Ok not Kiba. Lee?_

 _Sakura: Really Temari, you should consider a career in stand up._

 _Temari: What about Neji? He's cute._

 _Sakura: He is, but I heard a paralegal walked in on him and Tenten in a compromising situation at the holiday party last year. I think he's taken . . ._

 _Temari: Oh yeah, I forgot about that._

 _Sakura: Are you going to ask Shikamaru?_

The screen stayed blank.

 _Sakura: Is that a no?_

 _Temari: Shut up._

Sakura laughed. Putting her phone down, she glanced at her email, ready to power the system down and head home for the day. A new email waited for her. Woefully, she opened it.

 _To: S. Haruno_

 _From: S. Uchiha_

 _Subject: Tanaka Matter-Client Visit_

 _Wednesday. Meet outside office at 6:00 AM. Don't be late._

 _S_

Sakura rolled her eyes.

* * *

On Wednesday morning, Sakura rose early. She had managed to avoid Sasuke successfully all of Tuesday, but there was no escaping him now. She laid in bed for a long moment, listening to the telltale sound of rain spattering her window. She had always liked rain. It made her feel sleepy and content. On a normal morning, she might have worked from home for a few hours in her pajama pants, just listening to the water trickling against the glass pane. But not today. She had no doubt that if she was even a minute late, the Great Uchiha would leave without her.

"You are zen," Sakura said to the ceiling. "Nothing he says will bother you today. You are rubber. He is glue. You are peace. He is . . ." Sakura struggled for the word. "An ass," she concluded before sitting up, satisfied with her self-coaching. She untwisted herself from the white cotton sheets and threw back the comforter. Sakura made her way to the bathroom, fumbling in the dark slightly as her shin hit the end of her bed.

"Shit that hurt!"

After a quick second of breathing to will the pain away, Sakura made it to the bathroom door relatively unscathed and flipped on the light, flinching as the bright light hit her eyes. She started the shower, waiting until steam began rolling out from the top before stepping in and pulling the peach shower curtain behind her securely. She reached up to the small window ledge that ran along the top of the shower to flick on her well-worn shower radio. The soft voices of Kohona Public Radio, or KPR as it was more commonly known, flowed out the ancient speakers, whisper breathing their normal morning pleasantries.

Sakura lathered shampoo through her hair, listening to the news passively. They were predicting rain all day. On autopilot, she worked a squeeze of conditioner through her pink strands before turning to her body wash. When she felt satisfactorily clean and awake, she rinsed and turned off the water. Reaching for a towel, she stepped onto the white bath mat, feeling still warm beads of water drip down her body slowly.

Thirty minutes later, Sakura had towel-dried her hair—it was raining after all, no point in drying it completely—and slipped into a navy blue pantsuit. After some internal debate, she opted for a conservative white button up and stuck nude heels in her workbag. Something told her it was better to dress down for a prison visit. She pulled on her suit jacket and grabbed her beloved pink umbrella before slipping quietly out the front door. Given the heavy snores emanating from her roommate's slightly cracked door, Ino was still fast asleep.

When Sakura reached the ground floor, she paused to stuff wireless earbuds into her ears. She wanted to keep listening to the radio. They had been in the middle of an interesting story about the Land of Fire's tariffs on imports from the Land of Waves. It wasn't going to end well.

Looking out the building's front door, she debated briefly trying to hail a taxi to take her the few blocks to the office. But, the rain had slowed to a lazy drizzle, and truly the walk wasn't that long. She abandoned the thought as quickly as she had it, and pulled her umbrella up above her head before heading out.

The morning sky was still dark, but gray light peaked between the tall buildings. She always loved the city in the morning. It was wonderfully peaceful. Magical even, with the green and red traffic lights glowing in the rainy mist, providing spots of color among the otherwise monotone scape.

As she neared the office, she could see a black BMW sitting in front of the building in a clearly marked "no parking" zone, its hazard lights flashing in the gentle rain. She glanced at her wristwatch. He was early.

* * *

Sasuke played with the radio dial, jumping between stations as he waited. As he listened briefly to a morning shock jock rattle on—absolutely not—a bright color through his windshield caught his eye. He looked up.

Sakura stood across the street, waiting for the crosswalk to change. She held a battered pink umbrella over her head with one hand and a large black leather purse with the other. Her hair looked wet, as if she had just showered, or been caught in a sudden downfall. The summer humidity had given her long hair a slight curl. He didn't remember her hair being this long. Wasn't it short in school?

Sasuke watched as she shifted from foot to foot slightly, clearly impatient to cross. She was wearing those shoes again. Somehow, they looked even more ridiculous with a pantsuit. Donned in her bright shoes with her equally childish umbrella, Sakura stood out in sharp contrast to the gray morning. The picture was quite . . . vivid. He couldn't seem to pull his eyes from the sight.

The light turned, and Sakura moved swiftly across the street, waiving at him as she neared. Sasuke hit the radio quickly, killing the sound as she rounded the car to his passenger door. She tried the handle, but it was locked. He reached across and opened the door for her, shifting back into his seat as she leaned down to look at him.

"You're early," she said, pulling earbuds out of her ears and stuffing them into her bag.

Sasuke looked straight ahead. "So are you."

"Well, you did say don't be late," Sakura yawned.

"Get in. You're getting rain on the leather."

Sakura climbed in, holding her umbrella so it was the last item to enter the car. She closed the door and tried to buckle her seatbelt, struggling slightly as her bag and umbrella shifted in her lap.

"Here," Sasuke said, grabbing the umbrella from her and tossing it into the backseat.

"Thanks," she smiled, clicking her seatbelt and turning to look at him. He ignored her, choosing instead to turn off the hazards and put the car in gear, pulling smoothly onto the empty street. He turned on his blinker, shifted into third, and accelerated, heading for the freeway. He expected her to begin chatting, but to his surprise and relief, she was silent. Sakura stared out the passenger window, watching the buildings blur by as they drove out of the city.

Sasuke refocused on the road. If she wanted to drive in silence, that was all right by him. His car, which normally smelled like well-treated leather and wood, had suddenly taken on the pleasant smell of rosemary and mint. He frowned. It had to be her shampoo. The rain began to pick up, and he flicked on his wipers. As they reached the city limits and merged onto the freeway, he felt Sakura shift against the leather seat.

"Here," he said remembering, reaching with his right hand to one of the two to-go cups in the center cup holder. He held the large cup towards Sakura briskly, who regarded it with a skeptical brow.

"What is it?"

"It's coffee, Sakura," he said bored. "What else would it be?" After a prolonged pause, he pushed it into her hands. "Just take it."

Sakura's hands wrapped around the paper cup, her eyes wide with something akin to confusion.

"What?" He ground out, glancing at her sharply before returning his gaze to the road.

"You brought me coffee?"

Jesus. He knew this would be a mistake. This morning, when he stopped for his normal cup, he heard himself ordering two. It had surprised him. He hadn't planned to, but there he was. The barista had looked at him with concerned eyes, clearly shocked as well.

"Is that a problem?"

"No . . . it's just, very . . . nice . . ." she trailed off, looking down at the cup. "Or a trap." He thought he heard her whisper.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, reaching for his own cup as he skillfully managed the car wheel with practiced precision.

"It's coffee, Sakura. That's all. I was getting some for myself anyway." He took a sip of his own, demonstrating that it was not, in fact, poisoned. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her lift her cup hesitantly. She took a small sip, and then a larger sip, groaning happily.

"Is that hazelnut?" She asked finally as she put the cup back down, her head turning to look at him.

"Yes."

"Did you make this?"

"No, it's from the deli on my block. It was the only place that was open this early." He said, taking a sip from his own cup. "I didn't know how you took it, so it's just black."

"No complaints from me," Sakura said enthusiastically, taking another deep drink. "I take it black. Besides, this might be the best coffee I've ever had."

"It's decent," he agreed, "and at the very least, the caffeine will wake you up. I know how you struggle with mornings," Sasuke finished, unable to resist at least one solid dig.

Sakura seemed to tense slightly, but she didn't respond. The conversation died, and they drove in silence for a few miles, sipping their coffees. Sasuke kept his eyes peeled on the road. As each mile passed, he wondered how far they could get before Sakura would—

"Is this the deli that makes those cinnamon crullers Naruto likes so much?"

Not very far apparently.

"Yes," Sasuke stated, "I think it is."

"My first year at Senju I had an emergency filing and had to pull an all-nighter at the office. Naruto came in early the next morning and brought me a bakers dozen of those things. He promptly ate about nine of them, but still, it was very sweet," Sakura laughed.

Sasuke didn't respond, reaching instead to turn on the defroster. The morning rain had made the windshield begin to fog. As his hand reached, it collided with hers, his cold skin stinging at the sudden contact with her warm flesh. He pulled back instantly.

"Sorry, do you, uh, mind if I turn on the radio?" Sakura asked, her hand still suspended in the air by the dial.

"Fine." Sasuke said briskly. Sakura reached for the knob, turning it until it landed on the KPR station. Talk radio. Interesting.

Sakura turned up the volume and sunk into her seat a little lower, clutching her cup as she listened. Sasuke listened as well. The program, which was some dull piece about tariffs, continued for the next hour. Sakura spent most of the time staring out the window at the rain, laughing quietly every once in a while at a cringe-worthy pun or nodding intently at a point with which she agreed. Sasuke sat in silence, trying not to watch her. It was hard. Her face was painfully expressive when she was relaxed. He wondered if she had to concentrate to keep her every thought from bubbling to the surface for the world to see. He was so practiced at donning his mask it had become second nature. But he doubted Sakura had had the childhood he did.

At about seven in the morning the radio story wrapped and a new program began. Sakura spoke.

"I've heard this one, if you want to turn it." He had heard it too, so he flipped the channel, settling on a classical music station. Smooth piano and awkward silence filled the car.

"How much longer?" Sakura finally asked, clearly unable to help herself.

Sasuke closed his eyes briefly. So. Annoying.

"Just under two hours," he replied curtly. Sakura nodded, taking another drink of her coffee. His was lukewarm now. He imagined hers was too.

Sasuke could see her glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes. Truly, did she think she was being sneaky? It felt like being in class again. He had barely been able to concentrate some days from the heat of people's eyes on his back. The next time she glanced his way, he caught her gaze purposefully.

"What?"

She blushed.

"Oh um . . . I was just wondering . . . do you make this drive often? You seem to know the road well."

Sasuke sighed. He shouldn't have said anything. Now they had to make conversation.

"Most of the criminal cases I deal with involve rich criminals. They can afford bail, and they can usually avoid prison time," he said. "But on the occasion, yes, I do."

"Does it bother you?" She asked.

"Does what bother me?"

"Representing people accused of crimes?" She pressed. He frowned.

"Aren't you a defense attorney Sakura?"

"Well, yes, but my clients are sued because they infringed on a patent. Not because . . . well it's civil matters, not criminal. It's different."

"Is it?" Sasuke asked smoothly. "The vast majority of the cases I handle are white-collar. It's defending rich men who committed insider trading or money laundering. The occasional drug-bust here and there, and yes, once in a while, a violent crime. But really, Sakura, we defend the same types of people. You just defend the companies that my clients run."

"I like my clients," Sakura said sternly. "I don't believe a single one of them is a criminal."

"How naïve," Sasuke muttered.

"Why is trying to see the best in people naïve?" Sakura asked, her voice rising a little.

"Because people are rarely their best selves, Sakura. Trust me, I grew up with these types of people. They're all hiding something. Whether it's an off-shore account or a second family in the next city over, they're all liars."

"Then why do you defend them? If you hate them so much, why keep taking on these types of cases? Do plaintiff-side work like Naruto."

"And work with ambulance chasers? Even worse." The rain had picked up, and Sasuke flipped the windshield wiper switch so it moved quicker.

"My clients make life saving devices," Sakura volunteered, "they're—"

"They're capitalists, Sakura," he said shortly.

"They're innovators," she corrected.

"Well, that's probably why Orochimaru wants you along on Friday. You've clearly consumed the corporate Kool-Aid," Sasuke said.

Sakura's hands fisted next to her knees, her mouth set in a firm line. After a long moment, he heard her let out of a breath. What, had she been counting down from ten?

"Clearly we see the world differently," she said finally. "When I see a problem, I want to work from the inside to fix it. When you see a problem, you want to burn down the whole village. It's a matter of perspective."

Sasuke glanced at her before turning his eyes back to the road. He didn't want to burn down the village. Just a few select buildings . . . The conversation had veered into dangerous territory. He didn't want to talk about his worldview, or hers for that matter.

"We should discuss the case," he all but demanded, his voice settling into its normal, even tone.

"Yes, we should," Sakura snipped back.

"Did you review the autopsy?'

"I did."

". . . and?"

Sakura dug through her bag and pulled out a notepad. She flipped through a few pages, glancing at her notes. It looked liked she had sketched something . . . Was that a head?

"The autopsy looked fairly normal, but there were a few red flags to note."

"Such as?"

"Well, the timing for starts. An actual autopsy usually only takes a few hours, but the full results can take weeks to process. This one, however, only took two days. They didn't even run a toxicology report." She said, looking up.

"And that's uncommon, I take it?"

"It's standard procedure."

Curious, Sasuke thought to himself, flipping on his turn signal to take the next exit.

"Anything else?"

"Yes. The prosecution's theory of the case was that the storeowner brought out the trash, Haru demanded to be let inside, and when the owner didn't cooperate, Haru slashed his neck, right?"

"Right . . ." Get to the point Sakura.

"According to the report—which was quite skim—the cause of death was a homicidal cut-throat. The victim had a deep, oblique, long incised injury to the front of the neck. There were no hesitant or defensive injuries." Sakura paused, looking at him expectantly, her eyes dancing. God, she really liked this crap didn't she?

"Meaning what?"

"Well," she continued, her voice racing with excitement, "it just doesn't make sense! The injury is consistent with someone coming up from behind, firmly holding the victim's head, and with their other hand, slicing the neck in one smooth motion." Sakura held up the notepad in front of her as if holding a head, raised her right hand, and made a smooth motion across the paper, mimicking the cut of the knife.

"Perhaps that's what the kid did?" Sasuke offered. "He waited in the dark, approached from the back, and killed the owner."

Sakura shook her head emphatically. "But Haru didn't _actually_ rob the store right? Why kill the owner so coldly and then not go through with the plan? He could have killed the owner and taken the key. But he didn't. So what was the point of killing him? I could understand if Haru and the owner struggled and Haru got spooked after he accidentally killed him. But there were no defensive wounds, and the cut was even. Ergo, no struggle. No hesitation. It was a clean kill, Sasuke. Does that seem like the actions of a kid who was trying to rob a store?"

Sasuke frowned. Much as he loathed admitting it, Sakura was right. It did seem off.

"So, the autopsy showed the victim was killed from behind—"

"By someone right-handed," Sakura interjected.

"By someone right-handed," Sasuke continued, "the autopsy results seemed rushed, and there was no toxicology report done, which is a standard requirement. Anything else you noticed worth further inquiry?"

Sakura thumbed through her papers.

"That was all I saw, but I have a friend who could take a look for us. His name is Shino Aburame. His specialty is forensic entomology actually, but he started as a medical examiner. He does good work, and he's very discreet."

Sasuke nodded.

"Good, send him a copy when we get back to the office." Sakura scratched something down on her notepad, and looked at him, clearly waiting for him to continue. He ignored her. His mind was racing. He wanted quiet to think.

No toxicology report. Why wouldn't a toxicology report have been done? Was it just so clear how the man died that the medical examiner hadn't thought it necessary? But that couldn't be right. Sakura said they were standard in any autopsy. Besides, wouldn't a prosecutor want toxicology testing done to show there was no other possible cause of death other than the neck wound? Of course, he mused, what exactly would a report show anyway? Whatever medicines the man had in his system, whether he was drunk, whether he was . . . Sasuke tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Whether he was using drugs . . . .

"Sasuke," Sakura asked, completely oblivious to his internal pontification. "Do we have a 'plan of attack' for the interview today?" Sasuke slipped her a quick look. A small smile played on her lips. Was she mocking him?

"Yes."

"Care to share what it is?"

"No."

He heard her sigh.

"Sasuke, we're supposed to be a team—"

"Sakura, you have never handled a criminal case before. You don't even know what questions you should be asking. Let me take the lead on the interview."

There was a pause.

"Fine." Sasuke almost jerked the car off the road in shock.

"Fine?"

"Fine," she repeated. "I am choosing to trust you."

Famous last words, he thought. The car descended into silence.

"Sasuke?"

" _What_ Sakura?"

"How much longer?"

Too long. Far too long.

* * *

Author Note:

Thank you to everyone who has been following and reviewing. It really does help spread the story!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

* * *

When they arrived at the prison at quarter past eight—damn Sasuke was a fast driver—the sky had split open into an all out torrent. They came to a halt about two hundred yards from the prison's front gate, Sasuke pulling quickly into one of the many empty parking spots before killing the engine. They both looked through the windshield at the compound in front of them. Sakura could just make out a small, weed filled yard past the barbed wire fence.

"This is it?" She asked.

"This is it," Sasuke echoed, unbuckling his seatbelt. He looked at her for a long second, eyes traveling down to her pink shoes. She curled her toes instinctually.

He sighed. "Stay put."

Before Sakura could respond, he reached into the back seat, grabbed her umbrella, and opened his door to enter the maelstrom. She watched as he made his way around the front of the car to her door. He opened it for her, holding the umbrella above them with one hand and extending his other hand to help her out of the car.

"Thank you . . ." Sakura said, more than a little taken back. "Uh, one second." She dug in her bag, located her heels, and—acutely aware of Sasuke standing above her in the rain, his hand still extended—slipped off her sneakers and socks. She pulled on her heels and looked up at him.

"Ready?" He asked, his voice bored.

"Ready," she said, taking his hand. He grasped it firmly and helped her out of the car, keeping the umbrella lifted expertly above them. When she reached full height and cleared the doorframe, he leaned across her to shut the car door. They stood still for a moment, Sakura clutching her bag to her side, hyperaware of just how close their bodies were. She was only centimeters from his chest. Even with her heels on, he stood a full head taller than her. Around them, the rain fell in heavy sheets. Though his hand had been cold in hers, she could feel heat radiating in waves off his too close chest, providing her much welcome warmth in the face of the morning rain. She found herself imagining suddenly lifting her hand to his chest, leaning into him, while his hand came to rest on the small of her back—

"Shall we?" Sasuke said quietly, breaking through her thoughts. "The bottoms of my pants are getting wet."

"Yes," she managed, her mouth suddenly dry. "Sorry." Sasuke turned slightly, gesturing with his free hand in an invitation to walk. She started towards the gate, and Sasuke followed diligently behind, his right shoulder gently knocking against her back so they both remained underneath the pink expanse. Despite the layers of cloth between them, Sakura could still feel the firmness of his warm body as it brushed against her own. Her heart pounded in her chest.

The first thing she was going to do when they returned to Konoha was buy Sasuke his own goddamn umbrella.

As they neared the front gate, two men dressed in crisp olive green uniforms pulled open the door for them. Sakura hurried forward, eager to be away from Sasuke's heat. He followed closely behind her, lowering the umbrella when he stepped through the door.

"Sakura, go check us in," he stated, looking pointedly towards a portly man who sat at a counter located behind thick, bulletproof glass. She nodded and continued forward, glancing back at him as she went. Sasuke stood by the front door, shaking drops of water from the umbrella while talking to one of the green clad guards. Sasuke's hair was damp, even bordering on wet. Clearly he hadn't been able to avoid the rain all together. Sakura watched as he raised a hand to slick his chin length strands back. With his normal mane pushed away from his face, she could see his long, sophisticated nose and the small marks around his eyes from lack of sleep. He really was good looking.

Sasuke looked at her suddenly, his lips thinning as they locked eyes. Sakura spun her head back. Stop fantasying about the emotionally unavailable dreamboat and focus, she chastised herself, her heels clicked across the cheap linoleum. That way only laid disappointment.

"Hello," she called sweetly through the small, circular holes cut into the window glass. The guard, not looking up, pushed a clipboard to her through a narrowly cut rectangle.

"Fill this out," he grunted. "Bring back your ID too."

"Good morning to you too," she mumbled, taking the clipboard and turning back to the empty waiting room. Sasuke still stood by the door talking with the guard, so she sat in the first row of chairs and pulled a pen from her bag to fill in the requisite paperwork. After about five minutes, she felt Sasuke sink into the chair one seat away. She scribbled in the last few pieces of information on the form and turned to him.

"I need your ID," she asked. Sasuke lifted his hips slightly to dig for his wallet—an all-together distracting move that Sakura tried to ignore—and handed her his driver's license. Sakura brought his ID along with her own to the counter, passing them to the man with the clipboard. He looked the IDs over, and passed them back.

"You're early. We'll call you when it's time." Sakura returned to her chair, sinking into the well-worn fabric.

"He said he'll call us," she told Sasuke. "Apparently we're early."

"We are," Sasuke stated as she situated herself, "but the guard said he'll see if Haru can be brought to us now."

"Oh. Great!" Sakura said, a little surprised. She had expected to be kept waiting in the dingy room for at least another half hour. "What did you say to him?"

"I slipped him a fifty," Sasuke replied. That worked too.

Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, the portly man called their names, and they stood. The pair walked to a windowless steel door, which swung open with an angry buzz. Walking inside, they went through a series of additional doors and searches. Sakura was relieved of her bag and umbrella, assured both would be waiting for her on the way out. She was, however, permitted to take her notepad with her. No pen though. A grinning guard passed her a dull golf pencil.

"Really?" She asked, eyeing the stubby instrument. Behind her, Sasuke made a coughing noise that could have been mistaken for a laugh. When she looked at him though, his face was its normal emotionless mask.

"Security risk." Sasuke stated airily when she shot him a look. Mmhmm.

Satisfied, the guards led them down a windowless hallway to an equally windowless room. The cement box was empty save for a steel table and four matching stools, all bolted to the floor. Sakura took a seat on the far side of the table, laying her notepad and her new pencil down as she sat. She would name the pencil Steve. He seemed liked a Steve.

Sasuke took the stool next to her, and they sat in silence for a few minutes, Sasuke leaning on the table, his chin hidden behind his hands, while Sakura played with Steve. The fifth time she dropped him, Sasuke's hand flew out, closing around hers.

"Enough," he said softly.

She pulled her hand away brusquely. "You . . . enough . . ." she responded lamely, unable to come up with an appropriate comeback. He just looked at her, his eyes revealing no trace of emotion. Happily, the door banged open a moment later, and two guards walked in, leading a restrained man.

"Man" was a generous classification. Clad in dull tan scrubs, Haru was maybe a hundred and twenty pounds wet. He had long, sandy blonde hair and large brown eyes set against an olive complexion. The guards forced his gangly body down on a stool and locked his ankle restraints into shackles on the ground. To Sakura's relief, Sasuke raised a hand when the guards began to secure his handcuffed wrists on the bar that ran down the middle of the table.

"That won't be necessary," Sasuke said calmly. "We're his legal counsel." The guards glanced at each other before standing slowly, letting go of the man's wrists. They didn't remove the handcuffs, but at least his arms weren't locked to the table.

"You have an hour," one of them said before turning on heel towards the door. "No touching." The other man followed his comrade out the door, leaving Sakura and Sasuke alone with their client.

Sakura studied Haru. He looked very different from the boy in the faded photograph she now kept pinned to her bulletin board. That boy had had laughing eyes and a wide smile. This boy, well, he looked like he hadn't laughed in a very long time.

"Good morning," Sasuke spoke, straightening slightly as he addressed Haru. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. This is my colleague, Sakura Haruno."

"Good morning," she said quickly, giving Haru a bright smile. Haru glanced at her from under his bangs, his eyes narrowed in distrust.

" _You're_ the lawyers?" He asked with a sneer.

"Yes," Sasuke stated, unperturbed by Haru's tone. "I believe you received a few letters from my boss Orochimaru regarding our firm taking over your case from the FFP. Sakura and I will be taking lead on the case, pending your consent."

Haru grimaced. "Don't know why you're bothering. They're never going to let me out of here."

"I disagree." Sasuke said simply. Sakura glanced at him. For someone who had told her only a few days ago that he didn't believe Haru was innocent, he sure sounded confident.

When Haru didn't respond, Sasuke continued.

"What I'd like to do today is just ask you a few questions about yourself. As long as that's ok with you, that is. Everything you tell us is protected by attorney-client privilege, assuming you want us to represent you."

Haru shifted in his chair, but didn't speak. Sasuke tried again.

"Haru, you don't have to talk to us. But if you don't, we can't help you. And if we can't help you, you're going to die in here." Geeze Sasuke, take it easy on the kid!

When Haru still didn't respond, Sakura leaned in to try. Sasuke grabbed her hand under the table, squeezing a hard warning. She glared at him, shaking her hand out of his grasp, but remained quiet.

"It's your choice," Sasuke continued, turning back to Haru, "but make it quickly. I'm a busy man."

After a long moment, Haru spoke, his voice quiet, the sneer gone.

"The last time a lawyer came to see me, he said the same things. He promised everything was going to be ok. Then, the jury sentenced me to the chair."

"I'm not going to promise you anything," Sasuke said, shrugging. "I don't know if we'll be successful. We probably won't be. But frankly Haru, what do you have to lose?" Nice Sasuke, very encouraging, Sakura groaned in her mind. Keep reminding the kid he's going to die in here.

When the seconds stretched into minutes, Sasuke made as if to stand. Haru's head jerked up, his brown eyes wide.

"What if you fail?" He asked. Sasuke regarded him.

"Then we fail. But at least you'll know you tried." Haru held Sasuke's eyes, staring at him a long while before nodding, resigned.

"I guess you're my lawyers then. What do you want to know?" Sasuke smirked and settled back on the hard stool, lacing his fingers together on the table.

"Tell me about your apartment," he instructed.

"My apartment?"

"Yes. I understand you lived there with your grandmother."

Haru nodded, his gaunt face pulled tight in a slight smile.

"Yah . . . my nana and I lived together."

"And was it on the corner of 34th and 36th? About a block away from Hino Convenience Store?"

"Yah . . . we did all our grocery shopping there."

"What kind of food did you like to buy?" Sasuke asked.

"Oh man, they had this spicy beef jerky you couldn't find anywhere else. It was the best. And nana always got this one off-brand garlic bread to go with her homemade spaghetti. I swear it was the best bread. It had real cheese on top. Way better than the expensive crap!"

"That does sound good. What else do you remember about the store?"

"It was small."

"Anything else? Who did you see there?"

"My neighbors. Everyone shopped there." Sasuke nodded, leaning backwards a little, his movements slow as if he were dealing with a particularly skittish cat.

"Anyone who made you nervous?" Haru glanced up.

"What do you mean?"

"Lots of people like to hang out at convenience stores. Particularly in the parking lots . . . I'm curious if you ever saw anyone who was . . . peculiar." Haru picked at a hangnail on his left pointer finger with his right thumb, avoiding Sasuke's searching gaze.

"No one you can think of?" Sasuke asked, probing gently. Haru's eyes glanced up at the security camera secured in the corner. The light blinked red. He looked at Sasuke, back at the camera, and down at his hands.

"Nope. I didn't really talk to anyone. Nana and me, we kept to ourselves. Plus, I don't think the people who hung by the store were big fans of building bridges." Haru said, catching and holding Sasuke's eyes. Sasuke looked like he was about to say something, but his mouth fell, clearly letting whatever he was going to ask go like dust on the wind.

"Tell me about school," Sasuke asked instead. "What classes did you take?"

Haru mumbled through some responses. He liked math. He hated gym. History was boring, but he was good at it. Science was cool. After about twenty minutes of follow up questions, Sasuke looked at Sakura, his eyes holding some meaning she couldn't quite glean.

"What?" She mouthed. Sasuke closed his eyes briefly before redirecting his stare at Haru.

"Haru, do you recall the letter that FFP received? The one that made them look at your case?"

Haru nodded.

"Any idea who sent it?"

Haru shook his head.

"No thoughts?" Sasuke asked. Haru shrugged.

"No."

"That's alright, I didn't expect you would . . . Tell me, Haru, why did you steal from the store?"

The question clearly caught Haru off guard.

"I . . . I don't know. I just wanted some stuff. I didn't have the money, so I took it . . . It doesn't mean I killed old man Hino!"

"I'm not suggesting it means you did," Sasuke said calmly. "Was Mr. Hino a nice man?"

"He was ok," Haru said, still pulling at the hangnail. A small bead of blood welled as Haru ripped a piece of skin nail away from his nail. Sakura frowned. "He always let my nana use expired coupons," Haru offered, smiling to himself.

"Did you know Mr. Hino well?"

"Nah. We just bought our groceries from him." Sasuke probed Haru a little further, but it was apparent the kid didn't know anything of substance about the man.

"What happened the night Mr. Hino died?" Sasuke finally asked. Haru hunched forward a little so he could suck the blood off of his finger.

"I don't know. But I didn't kill him," he said simply.

"Where were you that night?"

"Like I said," Haru said, his voice tense, "I don't know. Probably at home. Didn't the guy die in the middle of the night? I was probably asleep."

"What about the knife?"

"What about it. I have no idea where it came from, or how it got under my mattress. We didn't even have a knife like that!" Sasuke raised his hands up, indicating wordlessly the need for Haru to lower his voice.

"It's ok, Haru, I believe you. I'm just trying to understand what happened, and the best way I can do that is to find out what you do and don't know. Haru, is there any reason, any reason at all, that you think someone would have wanted to kill Mr. Hino?"

"I have no idea."

"What about hurting you?" Haru looked at Sasuke, glanced over at Sakura, and returned his gaze to the man.

"No," he said shrugging.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, after further questions that ping ponged between the seemingly mundane and clear case related inquiries, the guards returned to remove Haru. As they detached Haru's bound feet from the floor, Sasuke explained to their client that he would put some spending money in his account for calls and anything else the kid wanted. Haru had looked genuinely surprised and grateful, bowing his head slightly before he was hauled up and led away. Sasuke smiled at him in response, and Sakura's breath caught in her throat. She had never seen Sasuke smile like that before. It wasn't a smirk, but a soft, thin-lipped grin full of empathy. It was a _true_ smile. Who knew he had it in him?

Sakura waived at Haru until he was out of sight before regarding Sasuke.

"Well," she began before he cut her off.

"Wait for the car."

"Wait for the car," she mimicked under her voice. Back to the old Sasuke then.

As promised, Sakura's possessions were returned to her, and were seemingly unmolested. Next time they came she wouldn't bother to bring a purse. She tucked Steve safely away though in a side pocket of her bag. Apparently full-grown writing instruments weren't allowed in prison.

To Sakura's relief the sky had cleared, so they made their way across the puddle riddled parking lot without further need to touch. Once in Sasuke's overpriced car, he turned on the engine and accelerated, heading back to the city. The miles crept past, and when it was clear Sasuke wasn't going to speak, she did.

"You were good with him, you know. I think he may come to really trust you."

"Don't sound so surprised," Sasuke responded, eyes steady on the road as he drove.

"I just meant . . . forget it." Unable to finish the sentence, Sakura lapsed into silence. After a stretch, Sasuke continued.

"That was largely useless, which is to be expected. The accused are rarely helpful in cases of actual innocence for the simple reason that they simply didn't do it. Of course he doesn't remember the night of the murder. It was just another random evening to him."

Sakura nodded. That was true, she hadn't considered that point.

"I'm troubled, however," Sasuke said, looking over at Sakura, "by his response to the question about who hung out at the store."

"Oh?" Sakura asked. "He said he didn't know anyone. I don't find that at all surprising. I couldn't tell you who hung out at my neighborhood bodega."

"Ah, but what did he say when I pressed, Sakura? He said they weren't fans of _building bridges_."

Ok, he had lost her completely.

"I don't understand."

Sasuke exhaled.

"You clearly keep up on the news Sakura. What happened two years ago in the Land of Waves?"

She tried to ignore the bubble of pride that invaded her chest when he said that. Was it a compliment? From him, any acknowledgment that she wasn't a complete dunce felt like a victory.

She considered his question. Two years ago in the Land of Waves? Nothing she could think of. It was a small country surrounded by the water . . .

"You mean the Great Bridge? The one that connects the main island to the mainland?" Sasuke nodded.

"Exactly. And who opposed building that bridge?"

Feeling like she was back in school, Sakura's face twisted in thought.

"The Gatō Company. I vaguely recall hearing there was some scandal where they were caught trying to bribe some Senators to kill the project. It almost shut the company down if I remember right."

"Bingo," Sasuke said. "And the Gatō Company, besides being a major shipping conglomerate, is rumored to run some other highly questionable operations."

"You know Sasuke, Haru could have just been using a metaphor," Sakura suggested.

"Maybe, but I don't think so. Haru is smart. He had good marks in school, and he grew up with his grandmother in a rough part of town. He's street smart too. Besides, didn't you see how he looked at the camera before he answered? He was trying to tell us that someone was listening."

"But the light was red. The camera was off. Besides, no one is allowed to listen anyway. That was a client meeting, it's privileged."

"That doesn't mean anything," Sasuke said shaking his head, "I don't think they exactly play by the rules there."

Sakura considered how Sasuke had slipped some random guard money to expedite their visit. He was right. Clearly the rules were not strictly followed.

"So you think Haru was telling us that people associated with the Gatō Company hung out at Hino's store?"

"I do."

Sakura looked out the window, processing the information. It felt to her like Sasuke was reaching. But he was right. Haru was a smart kid. Maybe he had been trying to tell them something on the sly. She ran the conversation in her head over and over, trying to understand whether there were any other codes she might have missed. She came up empty every time.

Irritated, Sakura reached into her bag to pull out her notepad to review the notes she had jotted down during the interview. As she flipped through pages, her hand hesitated on her autopsy notes. She looked up sharply. No toxicology report had been done . . .

"Sasuke, what kind of questionable operations are Gatō Company involved in?" She asked, looking at him.

Sasuke returned her gaze, his eyes dancing a little in the late morning sun as he regarded her. He smiled.

"Drugs."

* * *

Author Note:

This was a short one, but because the last chapter was a little shorter as well, I wanted to get it out quickly. I promise the next one will be extra long to compensate. Have a great week everyone!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

* * *

The boy crept down the hall, his small feet padding gently across the polished hardwood floor. He was maybe fourteen years old, his lithe body just beginning to show the telltale signs of manhood. As he moved, he stayed close to the wood paneled wall, keeping clear of the waist-high bannister that overlooked the small, rear entry foyer. He could hear soft voices echoing in the chamber below, the gentle murmurings of men as they made their goodbyes.

When the boy reached the threshold of the staircase, he dashed quickly across the hall to the other side, sinking to the floor with practiced ease. From this angle, his body was well hidden by the wall. He peered around the corner to look.

By the back door stood several men standing in a cluster. They wore dark suits and almost identical haircuts. As one man shifted, the boy saw a glint of metal tucked into a leather waist holster. One man, his hair pulled back into a long, low ponytail, was addressing a younger man who stood by the door, his hand clasped on the bronze handle as if waiting to turn it. The boy scooted forward slightly, trying to make out the conversation.

"After we take care of Tsuhgi there should be no further obstacles. This was . . . messier, than I prefer, but still a good result."

The younger man nodded, his face unreadable.

"The money will be transferred shortly," the older man continued, "I trust you'll see it gets to the correct people?"

"Yes, Orochimaru, I'll take care of it in the morning."

"Good. I do appreciate your work—"

"It will be the last time," the younger man interrupted, his voice calm but firm. The two men held each other's eyes for a long moment, until finally, the older man smiled.

"We shall see. Goodnight, Itachi. Thank you for your hospitality. The Uchiha Estate is, as ever, a magnificent structure."

The younger man nodded with a bored air and twisted the handle, pulling the door open in invitation. The older man passed through it, followed by the suit-clad men until the foyer lay empty, save for the younger man who stood, staring into the darkness after them. Slowly, he shut the door, and with a deliberate click, turned the lock. He stood in silence, as though caught in a memory, or contemplating a choice. Finally, he turned, and stared straight up the stairs, his dark eyes catching the boy in a hard glare.

"Go to bed, Sasuke."

* * *

Sasuke awoke with a start, his breath heavy as he struggled out of sleep. He reached to the bedside table and clicked on the lone lamp. Light illuminated the room, and Sasuke looked around quickly. Empty. Relieved, he ran his fingers through his hair, pushing the cold beads of sweat off his forehead. The memory swam before his eyes, and he pressed his palms into his sockets, applying pressure as if he might blot away the images if only he pressed hard enough.

Damnit. This wouldn't do. Sasuke threw back the covers, glancing at the clock as he did so. Four in the morning was a little early for his morning run, but he knew he wouldn't find sleep again. Sasuke changed quickly, pulling on a pair of faded shorts and a reflective t-shirt before lacing up his lightweight shoes. Dressed, he locked the door behind him and made his way down to the street. When his feet hit concrete, he pushed into a gentle jog. Sasuke breathed in deeply, drinking in the cool air, and exhaled slowly, trying to right his head.

He rolled the memory over in his mind. Itachi in the foyer. Speaking with Orochimaru. An unpleasant sight indeed, having Orochimaru in the family home. After their parents had died, Itachi, a childhood prodigy who had earned his high school, college, and law degrees all before the age of twenty, had quietly picked up their father's mantle at the firm. Despite being an associate, he had been brought quickly into the firm's inner circle, perhaps because of his family legacy, perhaps because he was a genius. Probably because of both.

Sasuke had spent many evenings creeping around closed doors, trying to hear what was happening at the secret meetings that lasted long into the night and took place in the bowels of their home, far from the Uchiha Brothers office. He had only ever been able to hear snippets, but he had heard enough to know that the clients who dropped by were not nice men.

Only a few months after that particular night, Itachi moved Sasuke into the downtown condo with the family housekeeper, far away from the family mansion that sat high above the city on 3.4 lush acres. He hadn't seen Itachi much after that.

Sasuke increased his speed, trying to shake the unpleasant thoughts from his mind. He hit the park and followed his normal path, weaving by the large lake that occupied the south end. Weak morning sunlight was beginning to jump across the water's surface.

Ever since the client meeting on Wednesday, Sasuke had felt a nagging sensation in his gut. It was equal parts excitement and dread, and it scared the shit out of him. After returning to the office, largely ignoring the pink haired woman who had spent the rest of the car ride scribbling furiously on her notepad god knew what, he had proceeded immediately to Orochimaru. He found the man at his desk.

"Do we represent the Gatō Company?" Sasuke asked, entering without knocking.

If Orochimaru was surprised, he didn't show it. He continued to read the papers in front of him, answering Sasuke in a bored voice.

"Sasuke, you can easily look up that information for yourself in the firm database."

"We both know not all of Uchiha Brother clients are on that list."

Orochimaru, his head still directed down, sighed and turned the page.

"Why do you want to know?"

"The name came up in the Tanaka Matter. If we represent the company, there may be a conflict."

Orochimaru glanced up, his eyes accessing Sasuke with interest.

"We did . . . once upon a time. But no longer. In what context did the name arise?"

"The client implied the company might have used the victim's store in its drug operation."

Orochimaru leaned back.

"How curious . . . do you know this for sure?"

"No. But if we represent the company—"

"As I said, we do not. Ever since that embarrassing bridge debacle the Gatō family's status has fallen considerably. They were sloppy. I don't appreciate sloppy. It was no longer in our best interests to provide the company legal advice . . . That said, we did do work for them, so I want you and the Haruno girl to tread very carefully."

"And what kind of work were we doing for them, Orochimaru?" Sasuke responded drily, knowing the answer.

Orochimaru just smiled.

"This and that," he said. "I doubt it's at issue here. Even assuming the client is right, it's probably a simple coincidence, nothing more. But it would still be best if you didn't draw unnecessary attention to yourselves."

"Hn," Sasuke offered in response.

"Glad you agree. Now, Sasuke, while I have you," Orochimaru continued, "tell me, how did Sakura perform today?"

Sasuke frowned, considering the question.

"Her medical knowledge will prove useful. She noticed irregularities in the autopsy worth further inquiry." He said carefully.

Orochimaru smiled. "Good. I hoped as much. I think Haruno might make a welcome addition to the criminal group, assuming we can wrench her out of Tsunade's manicured claws."

Sasuke tensed.

"We have enough attorneys in the criminal group," he said quickly.

"Ahh, but none quite like her. None with her medical knowledge certainly. But more importantly, we need a female associate. It always looks better at trial to have a female at the table. Tends to yield better results for the client."

"No doubt Sakura will be flattered to know you want her in the group because of her gender, not her skill," Sasuke said with the barest hint of annoyance. The minute the words left his mouth he regretted the comment. Orochimaru's eyes had widened slightly, a small smile creeping onto his lips. Sasuke grimaced. Showing Orochimaru emotion was dangerous. He knew better. And to exhibit emotion on behalf of someone he didn't care all that much for was even stupider. It would give Orochimaru ideas.

"No need to get testy," Orochimaru mocked, "Sakura is a big girl. I'm sure she understands the importance of optics. A trial isn't about guilt or innocence. It's about putting on the better show. Tsunade knows that, and so, I'm sure, does Sakura."

"Is there anything else, Orochimaru?" Sasuke said, his voice even. "I have a memo to write."

"Yes. Given the client connection, I'll want bi-weekly updates on this matter. And going forward, before you make any major investigative decision, I want you to clear it with me. At least until we know for sure there is no Gatō connection."

Sasuke nodded, turning to leave.

"Oh, one more thing," Orochimaru continued, his voice hardening. "Do not, under any circumstances, mention that name at Friday's dinner. As far as the firm is concerned, we never worked for the Gatō Company. Understood?"

As he ran, Sasuke debated whether he should share the conversation with Sakura. She should probably know about the former client connection. It would be difficult to expect her to tread lightly without giving her some sense of the situation. He was certain, however, that like him, Sakura was under instructions to report on the case to her supervising partner. Telling Sakura meant telling Tsunade. He could ask Sakura for discretion, but he doubted she would abide. She and Tsunade seemed thick as thieves.

Plus, even if she did agree not to tell her boss, Sakura was lousy when it came to keeping secrets. She certainly hadn't been able to keep her childish crush on him under wraps. Thankfully, that seemed to have cooled. Sakura seemed more annoyed with him than infatuated. It was a welcome change. He could handle her attitude, but the whispers and stares at school had been nails on a chalkboard. Though, to be fair to Sakura, it wasn't like she had been the only one. He never understood women.

No, he decided firmly, he wouldn't tell Sakura everything. But, he would at least provide some background, if only to reinforce the need for her to keep the details of the interview to herself, lest she let slip the name at dinner. He huffed out an angry breath. Speaking of miserable things . . .

As he rounded another corner on the path, he considered not showing up tomorrow. Orochimaru had no doubt promised his attendance. It would require delicate handling to not offend the clients if he didn't make an appearance. Probably more trouble than it was worth. He would need to call each and every client to make amends, potentially even take separate dinners with a few. Dinners that he knew from past experience were spent one of two ways: praising the great Uchiha family, or lamenting their demise. Better to get the damn thing over with in one night, he thought darkly.

Sasuke cleared the lake and slowed, blood pounding in his ears. He came to a stop and put his hands on his back, catching his breath as he examined the empty park. If he was going to go he would need to swing by the dry cleaners before work. He wouldn't have time tomorrow. It would mean cutting his run short. He hated cutting his runs short.

Sasuke stretched briefly before walking home, nodding at his doorman as he passed into the lobby. After a quick shower, he was back out the door.

When he strolled into the office, dry cleaning in hand, he noted Sakura had yet to arrive. As he worked throughout the morning, he kept an eye on her window, but the neighboring office remained dark. Did the woman never work? Irritated, he picked up his phone and dialed his assistant.

"Mayuko," he said into the receiver.

"Good morning Sasuke, one moment!" Before he could tell her to wait, she had hung up and dashed from her desk into his office.

"Yes, Sasuke?" She asked eagerly, stepping up to his desk.

"You didn't need to . . ." he trailed off, hanging up the phone. It wasn't worth arguing about. "Where is Ms. Haruno today?"

Mayuko's bright smile fell.

"Is that why you called me?" she asked, her voice incredulous.

"Yes."

"I don't know," she answered tersely, "she's not one of my assignments."

At the sight of his thin lips, she added, "but I could find out if—"

"No need. That will be all," Sasuke said sharply, waiving her away. Mayuko hesitated, but bowed and left.

As soon as she was out of sight, he swiveled in his chair to look out the window, studying Sakura's drawn blinds. She had closed them soon after he started, and they had remained lowered. Clearly, she was less than thrilled that their windows offered generous views of each other's offices. He wasn't ecstatic about the arrangement either.

Sasuke considered calling Sakura's cell phone, but decided against it. Wherever she was, she was probably doing something important for Tsunade. He would wait. He did need to talk to her before tomorrow, but he preferred to do it in person. It was better not to leave a record. Annoyed, Sasuke swiveled back to his work. He would find her tomorrow.

* * *

"Ow, Ino!" Sakura screeched as Ino poked her yet again with a dress pin.

"If you would stop squirming I wouldn't keep stabbing you!" Ino hissed.

"Let the professional do it!" Sakura yelled, pulling her body away from Ino's reach, "I don't even know why we are doing this, the damn ball is over a month away!"

Sakura stalked away, pulling yards of fabric with her. A short woman with a large gray bun perched messily on the top of her head followed after her, cooing sweet sounds about how beautiful Sakura looked.

Sakura ignored her and fell onto the leather couch in the fitting room, grasping for the flute of champagne that sat on the side table.

"I also don't feel it is appropriate to be drinking bubbly at 11:00AM," Sakura said critically, before depositing the contents of her glass into her mouth. Ino sunk down next to her, reaching for her own glass.

"Don't be silly," Ino said, emptying her own glass in one fell swoop. "The reason—as I have explained multiple times—that we are here, is because couture gowns take hundreds of hours to make, so we needed an early start."

"And I have explained to you, multiple times, that I do not need, nor can I afford, a couture gown," Sakura replied, raising her empty glass towards the smartly attired woman who stood by the door. The woman strode over, refilled the glasses with a kind smile, and returned to her post. Sakura thanked her and tipped the golden liquid back. Ah, the perks of being Ino's friend.

"My sweet, simple Sakura. You are not showing up to the biggest event of the year dressed in some shabby sequined off-the-rack wish-it-were-Dior-but-is-not-Dior catastrophe. You will embarrass your firm, and you will embarrass me. Alexandre is a family friend and I insist you allow him to dress us in his angelic creations for the evening. It won't cost you a penny."

"Ino—"

"Not another word. Now stand up and allow them to finish or I will insist on helping again," Ino threatened. Sakura stood quickly, putting her glass down. The tiny woman with the ridiculous hair burst into action, and within the hour, Sakura and Ino were back in their street clothes. It had only taken all morning, but at least Sakura now had a dress to wear next month. It had probably cost more than a year of rent . . .

"So," Ino said, bouncing next to her as they strolled through the city back to their flat. "Shall we blow off the rest of the day or does Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes need to work?"

"I need to work, Ino. You should try it sometime," Sakura quipped, "you might even like it." Ino just smiled.

"I suppose I'll head to the office then if you're planning to work from home?"

Sakura's thoughts dashed to her dark office, the blinds closed so as to avoid a certain someone.

"Yes, I think I will," she said slowly.

"Eventually, you will have to see him again," Ino sung happily.

"I saw him yesterday!" Sakura snapped, hugging her arms to her chest. Ino just laughed.

The next morning, Sakura found herself working from home again. She knew she should go in, but she also knew Tsunade and Shizune would be engaged all day in client meetings, meaning Sakura wouldn't be missed. She also knew it was an act of cowardice, but she didn't have the energy to care.

She spent the morning reviewing her new client's case file. She constructed a timeline, compiling all the major events she could gather from the moment the body was found to her client's ultimate conviction. She then proceeded to make a list of every person in the case. She noted every lawyer, officer, witness, suspect, or casual connection whose name for whatever reason made an appearance in the file. Not a single one, as far as she could tell, had any connection to drugs. Sakura rubbed her eyes. Sasuke was reaching too hard for the drug angle.

After a full day of work sprawled on the living room couch, Sakura lazily packed up her things and headed back to her room. It was about 5:30, and she needed to leave no later than 6:30 if she was to make dinner by 7:00.

Ino, who had blustered back into the apartment around 4:00, had laid out on Sakura's bed a gorgeous formfitting black dress with an asymmetrical neckline. The low-scooped back gave Sakura pause, but she struggled into it all the same. She turned, studying herself in the mirror. Ino really did have a knack for clothing. The dress was perfect. A little tighter than Sakura preferred, but for an evening dinner, it had the right combination of business and pleasure.

Satisfied, Sakura carefully stripped off the dress and headed to her bathroom. She turned the radio to a classic rock station and slipped into a silk jade robe that kissed her knees—another gift from Ino. She twisted her hair into hot rollers, brushed her teeth, smeared on some makeup, and after a moment of hesitation, added a deep red lip.

As she worked, she thought she heard a knock at the front door. Sai is right on time, Sakura thought with disinterest as she blotted her lipstick on tissue paper. She returned to her bedroom to study her shoe collection. As she reached for her favorite pair of black pumps, she heard Ino call for her. Sighing, Sakura put down the shoes and cracked the door.

"What!" Sakura yelled down the hall.

"Sakura, could you come here please! There's someone to see you," Ino yelled back.

Sakura rolled her eyes and opened the door. They both knew Sai wasn't here to see her. She pulled the robe around herself tightly so Sai wouldn't catch an inadvertent glimpse of her black panties and matching bra. Not that Sai ever noticed such things.

"Ino, I need to leave in ten minutes, what do you guys need—" Sakura's voice died in her throat. Standing by the door, dressed in a deep black suit with a crisp white shirt and grey tie, was Sasuke.

He stared at her. She stared at him. Ino coughed.

"Um, Sasuke's here . . ." Ino said, her voice dripping with apology as she looked at Sakura's hair, still rolled into curlers. Sakura's stomach dropped. This was it. This was the night she finally murdered Ino.

"I see that," Sakura bit out between clenched teeth.

"Well, um, I'll just go to my room then . . . " Ino laughed lightly, walking by Sakura. She leaned in quickly as she passed, whispering into Sakura's ear. "Fix your robe I can see your bra."

Sakura's hand shot up to close the silk. If Sasuke had noticed, he gave no indication. He looked at her, his face impassive. He might have been staring at a brick wall.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura managed, curling her painted toenails into the rug at her feet. "Is something wrong?"

"Where have you been all week?" He said, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Working . . . What are you doing at my flat? How do you even know where I live?"

"Naruto," Sasuke said simply.

Make that two murders, Sakura thought viciously. Naruto was as good as dead.

"What do you need, Sasuke?" She repeated.

"I needed to talk to you, and you haven't been at the office," he said.

"Ever heard of the telephone?" Sakura said, throwing her hands above her head in exasperation. "You didn't need to come here."

"I called you. Twice. No one picked up," Sasuke said, his gaze leaving her face to wander around the flat. She saw his eyes fix on Mr. Frankie, her kitchen ceiling stain. She suddenly became very aware that their apartment was less than clean.

Sakura considered his statement. Yes, she supposed she hadn't checked her phone closely today. Her work email, yes. But not her phone. She wasn't glued to it like some people.

"Well, you could have emailed," she tried again. "I was working from home. I was still checking my inbox."

Sasuke, eyes focused on Mr. Frankie, shifted uncomfortably.

"Perhaps, Sakura, you should get dressed. I'll wait."

"I'm fine," she snipped, surprising herself with the creep of irritation in her voice. Who did he think he was, ordering her about.

Sasuke looked at her, dropped his eyes to her painted toenails before journeying up, pausing at her chest, until he met her eyes. It felt like fire burning up her body.

"Sakura, you may want to put on some more . . . substantial . . . clothing," he said quietly, his eyes dipping back to her chest meaningfully. She glanced down, spun around, and booked it back to her room. Her robe had opened again.

"Give me a minute," she called back as she retreated. She slammed open her bedroom door and immediately sunk to the floor. A second later, her door opened, and Ino hurried in.

"I am so sorry," Ino groaned, crouching down next to Sakura.

Sakura, her face buried in her rug, spoke into the ground. "Ino, why do you do these things to me?"

"How was I supposed to know you weren't dressed yet? You need to be there at 7:00, it's like 6:30! What the hell is Sasuke Uchiha doing here anyway!" Ino stage whispered.

"Oh, just ruining my life," Sakura moaned, trying to roll onto her back but struggling as the rollers in her hair hit the wood floor. "Ow," she whimpered.

"Let me help you," Ino said gently, pulling Sakura up and setting to work on her hair. Within five minutes, Ino had managed to tame Sakura's hair into long waves that flowed down her back. They zipped her into the dress, and Sakura slipped on the heels.

"Good?" She asked Ino.

"Better than good," Ino winked, handing her a small, black leather handbag. "Now go find out why Sasuke Uchiha is in our living room."

Sakura strode back to their guest as confidently as she could, considering she was fairly sure he had gotten a free show only minutes earlier. Sasuke was still standing where she left him, his eyes studying the shoe rack where her fluorescent pink shoes sat. As she approached, he looked up.

"Ok, I'm dressed," Sakura said, indicating her clothed body. "Now, Sasuke, why are you here?" she pushed. When he didn't speak right away, she walked into her kitchen to grab her keys off the counter.

"I needed to tell you not to mention the Gatō Company tonight," he said.

Sakura paused.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"If you're asked about the case, we can confirm our representation, but don't give out details."

To hide her confusion, Sakura turned away from Sasuke and grabbed a clean tumbler from the cabinet. She poured a glass of water, took a long drink, put the glass down, and looked back. Did he think she was incompetent? So inept he needed to instruct her, in person, how to act in front of clients? As though she was a child who might embarrass her parents at dinner. Sakura's mind flashed to a painful memory.

"She's annoying, Naruto, and stupid. How she made it into this school I'll never know."

In a calm voice, she addressed him.

"You know, it's funny. I'm pretty sure we were in the same lawyer ethics class in school, so I, like you, know we're not supposed to discuss case details. They're confidential. So the fact you came all the way down here to warn me indicates you think I'm either stupid or unethical. So which is it?"

Sasuke studied her, his face an unreadable slate. She took another drink, her hands wrapped tightly around the glass. Sasuke sighed, deeply. It was a terribly masculine sound.

"It wasn't my intent to offend you, Sakura," he said steadily. "It came to my attention that my former firm might, at one point in time, have had dealings with the Gatō Company. It is imperative, therefore, that we are extremely careful tonight to make sure we do not inadvertently let the name drop if we are asked about the case. Especially considering the fact we will likely be drinking."

Sakura felt her cheeks warm.

"I can handle my alcohol," she muttered. He smirked.

"I'm sure. But even so, we need to be on the same page," he said, his eyes holding hers. "I trust you'll keep the fact to yourself?"

"If Gatō Company was your client, how does this affect the case?" She asked, dumping the remaining water down the sink.

"I didn't say they were a client. I'm simply saying the firm has had dealings with them," he corrected. "But, we will need to tread carefully when investigating what presence the company may have had at the store. That's all."

Sakura nodded.

"Fine," she agreed, looking at him. "I wasn't planning to mention any specifics about the case, Sasuke, but I will take extra care not to do so tonight. Happy?"

She looked at him. He nodded back.

"Great. Well, we're going to be late," Sakura said tensely, "shall we?" Sasuke opened the front door for her, and she strode out. She grabbed the banister, and began to make her way down the stairs, walking slowly in her heels. She could feel Sasuke following behind her like a silent shadow.

"How did you get in?" Sakura asked when they reached the third landing, unable to keep the curiosity at bay. "We didn't buzz you up."

"Didn't need to. Someone was leaving the building."

"Crack security here," Sakura muttered.

They continued down the stairs, finally reaching the ground floor. They both paused, catching their breath.

"You make that climb everyday?" Sasuke asked, reaching in front of Sakura with long arms to pull open the front door.

"Yep. Who needs to exercise when you have stairs?"

"You don't run?" He asked, surprise evident in his voice. She looked at him, her brows drawn.

"Run? Oh, god no. What gave you that idea?" When Sasuke didn't respond, Sakura began to walk down the street.

"Sakura," Sasuke called as she walked, "I'm parked this way."

She looked back. Sasuke, his hands stuffed into his pockets, gestured with his head in the opposite direction. "I'll drive us."

"Wow. Two car rides in one week. Lucky me," she said, reversing direction.

"You're welcome to walk," he said, his voice stern.

Sakura stopped, suddenly feeling a little ridiculous for her mood. She wasn't mad at him. Not really. She was embarrassed, and perhaps a little shell shocked. The former love of her life had, after all, seen her in a state of déshabille. But it wasn't anyone's fault. Well, maybe it was Ino's. Potentially Naruto's too. But it wasn't Sasuke's fault. She knew that.

"Thank you, Sasuke, that would be great," she tried again, plastering a smile on her face. Sasuke looked at her, and turned, striding away, leaving her to follow him.

* * *

Author Note:

I know that felt short, and not very action packed either, but I promise by word count it's actually one of the longer chapters! Sorry for the delay. Last weekend was labor day (a U.S. holiday), so my schedule was a little thrown. FYI, I also edited a little since I first posted, for those who might be rereading and are noticing subtle differences.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

* * *

When they pulled up to the restaurant, a valet sprinted to the car, opening Sakura's door for her. The young man smiled down at her.

"Welcome to Zenkichi ma'am. Can I offer you a hand?" He asked, extending his own to her as he spoke. Sakura smiled warmly.

"Thank you," she said, taking it. He helped her up, and gently shut the car door. Sasuke came around the front of the vehicle, wordlessly dangling his keys in front of the valet's face.

"Don't grind the gears," Sasuke said with a bored expression.

"Of course not sir," the valet said, winking at Sakura as he took the keys and dashed to the driver's side. Sakura watched as he pulled away. He was pretty cute.

"Making friends?" Sasuke called as he began to walk towards the front door. Sakura felt her fingers tingle, but she resisted the urge to curl them into fists. Instead, she followed him, smiling with thin lips as she passed through the door he held open for her.

She strode into the dimly lit room, her heels clicking on the black marble floor, and stopped cold. In front of her lay a wonderland. The restaurant glowed with warm yellow light from paper lanterns that scattered the ceiling, and walls of bamboo seemed to sprout up from the ground, creating the sensation one was entering some otherworldly dimension. Sakura could see diners in small booths along the far wall, partially obstructed by see through shades that provided a semblance of privacy. On the other side of the room ran a large bar, where people sat in twosomes, engaged in conversation over their drinks. She sighed dreamily. She had always wanted to eat here.

As Sakura and Sasuke approached the hostess stand, the slim woman who stood behind it looked up, her heavily mascaraed eyes jumping quickly from Sakura to Sasuke and narrowing with obvious pleasure as she took in the man.

"Good evening, sir" she crooned softly, ignoring Sakura. "Welcome to Zenkichi. How can I assist you?"

"We're here for the dinner with Senju and Uchiha LLP," Sakura said, slightly annoyed at the slight. The hostess smiled, her eyes still pinned on Sasuke as if he, not Sakura, had spoken.

"Of course. The party is in our private dining room. Can I get you a drink from the bar first before bringing you back?"

"We're fine," Sakura said. The hostess's eyes flicked with annoyance as she finally turned to look at her, dropping her eyes and giving her a once over.

"I'll take you right back then," she said before returning her hot gaze to Sasuke, "but is there anything I can tempt _you_ with?"

"No. Thank you," Sasuke said evenly. Internally, Sakura pumped a fist into the air. Suck it hostess lady. Sasuke is not buying what you're selling. Not that she cared, of course.

"Follow me then," the hostess sighed, gesturing to her left. She led them into the bamboo forest, walking with what Sakura felt was an unnecessary jiggle in her step. Just because you had a big ass didn't mean you needed to exhibit it, Sakura thought bitterly. When they reached the back wall, the woman held back a heavy red curtain, bowing as she did.

"Enjoy your dinner," she said. Sakura ducked inside, Sasuke following closely behind her. Sakura paused as she entered, her breath catching yet as again as she took in the room.

The private room was similarly aglow with light, although this time from small white candles that dotted every spare inch of wall. The room smelled like jasmine and sage, and thick greenery hung from the ceiling, creating a sense of intimacy despite the large space. A long dinning table occupied the front area, and in the back she could see two bartenders serving a small huddle of people. In a corner, she could see others—mainly men—stretched out on leather couches, their conversations mixing gently with the lounge music that streamed from hidden speakers in the ceiling. She could make out a blonde head amongst those seated. Tsunade was here at least. As they entered the room further, Sakura eyed the candles. It must have taken forever to light them all.

"With all of those open flames, don't you think the restaurant is really playing with fire," Sakura said out of the side of her mouth.

Sasuke looked at her, an eyebrow raised.

"What!" She whispered, "it's a pun."

"A very bad one," he said with a smirk. She felt herself smile, and to her surprise, he smiled back. Well. That was . . . new.

"Ah, Sasuke, Sakura, you've arrived," a cool voice said to their left as they neared the bar. Orochimaru approached them, his eyes narrowing slightly. "My, my. Did we come together?" He asked, a smug smile playing at his lips.

"We ran into each other at the door," Sasuke said smoothly before Sakura could speak. Not strictly true, she thought to herself, but she trusted Sasuke enough to know if he wasn't telling Orochimaru the truth, she probably shouldn't either.

"What a beautiful restaurant Orochimaru. Was this your choice?" Sakura asked, changing the subject. She regretted it as soon as his eyes met her own. Holding his stare was like swallowing an ice cube.

"Yes, it is, isn't it," he said, breaking the look to glance around in appreciation. "It's a favorite spot of mine, although I haven't been coming as often as I used to. I've only been to dinner once this month." Sakura blinked. The average plate here was $150, _excluding_ drinks. She knew. She had checked. How often did he usually come here?

"What a shame, but we're here tonight, aren't we," Sakura covered, forcing a smile.

"Indeed," he said, smiling back.

"Orochimaru! You must introduce to me!" A portly man suddenly rang out, clambering over from the couches. A tall man with chin length white hair who looked just shy of forty walked with him, his green eyes lazily roaming over Sakura's body as he neared. Sakura shifted uncomfortably, suddenly feeling very exposed.

"Ryuu, Mizuki, a pleasure to see you," Orochimaru said, greeting the men with firm handshakes. "Meet Sasuke Uchiha, an associate in the criminal law group, and this is Sakura Haruno, an associate in our medical device group."

"Uchiha you say!" The portly man exclaimed, ignoring Sakura. "I thought as much. You're a spitting image of Fugaku my boy, and I knew your father well! The Uchiha Brothers, well, now Senju and Uchiha LLP, have always represented my company! Such a delight to know there is still an Uchiha at the firm!" Sasuke nodded, his face impassive. When he didn't speak, the man continued.

"I'm Ryuu Ono, of Ono Operations. I'm sure you've heard of us, though we haven't had a need for the criminal group just yet!" He chuckled, tapping his wide belly in amusement. "And this is Mizuki, our COO."

"Good evening," Mizuki said, his eyes on Sakura. "I'm curious Ms. Haruno, are you from the Senju side, or the Uchiha side?"

"The Senju side, although we're all one family now," she said with a forced laugh. "And please, it's Sakura."

"Sakura is Tsunade's prodigy," Orochimaru added in a tone similar to that of an art collector discussing his newest find.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Sakura began delicately, "but Tsunade is a very good teacher."

"And how are you finding the transition," Mizuki asked, leaning into her space a little. It felt oddly predatory, and Sakura fought her instinct to step away. Tsunade _was_ a very good teacher. In all things. And she had taught Sakura not to back down from men, even when they pulled power moves like this. Or showed up to her house, unexpected, while she was wearing next to nothing, to tell her something as rudimentary as don't give away confidential client details . . . .

"It's going very well," she said, meeting his eyes confidently. "The firms are melding quickly, I've even had the opportunity to work with Sasuke on a new pro bono matter," she said, glancing at the man in question, who met her eyes with disinterest.

"Oh," Ryuu said, suddenly interested. "Pro bono you say?"

"Yes. Senju and Uchiha is committed to giving back to the community," Sakura said to Ryuu with a smile. "It's one of our new firm's core values. All associates are expected to provide at least 100 hours of pro bono work a year." That's right, feed the nice man highlights from Tsunade's cheat sheet.

"Delightful," Ryuu said, patting his stomach again, "delightful. And you work for Tsunade, is that right? That woman is sharp as a tack, though terrible at cards I must say!"

"You're not wrong, though don't tell her I said so. Her luck may be rotten, but she has excellent aim," Sakura said laughing. Ryuu laughed with her, smiling broadly at the woman.

"Tell me more about your little case," Mizuki said, redirecting the conversation back to him. "What is it, a divorce or something?"

"A criminal matter, actually," Sakura responded, "a wrongful conviction. Our client was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit."

"How fascinating!" Ryuu jumped in, his eyes growing wide. "I've always wanted to meddle about with a case like that. Fascinating business, criminal law. Sasuke, that's your specialty, isn't it?"

"Yes, and no," Sasuke said smoothly.

"Whatever do you mean?" Ryuu asked.

Sasuke regarded him. "Criminal law is my specialty, yes. But representing an innocent client, that's new." Ryuu stared at him, his eyes saucers, before breaking into a hard laugh.

"Oh, you are having my goat aren't you Sasuke! You two!" Ryuu said, shaking his finger playfully at the young people. "Who knew lawyers were so funny!"

"Yes, Sasuke often delights us with his wit," Orochimaru added, his voice dangerously low. Sakura felt goose bumps rise on her arm, but Sasuke seemed unperturbed.

"And when you're not saving the world Sakura, what do you do for fun?" Mizuki asked.

"She listens to the news," Sasuke answered drily for her. Surprised, Sakura glanced at him, opening her mouth to explain that while yes, that was true, she enjoyed a host of activities. Before she could get out a word, a gong rang out, signaling the time had come to find their seats.

"Ahhh, dinner!" Ryuu exclaimed, clapping his hands together in excitement before strolling away. Mizuki held out a hand to Sakura.

"Ms. Haruno, might I—"

"If you'll excuse us, we need to grab a drink before dinner begins," Sasuke interrupted smoothly, his hand coming to the small of Sakura's back. She tensed, but allowed him to guide her towards the bar. As they walked, nodding greetings to the other guests who passed, he kept his hand there, his large palm warm through the material of her dress.

When they reached the leather barstools, he finally dropped his hand, and she turned to stare at him, her face incredulous.

* * *

"Bourbon, two ice cubes," Sasuke said, ignoring the stare.

"And for the lady?" the bartender asked. Sasuke inclined his head to Sakura.

"What would you like ma'am?"

"Gin martini please," she said to the bartender, "with an olive." The man nodded and set about making their drinks, his trained hands spinning the bottles with practiced flair.

"What the hell was that?" Sakura whispered to him, just loud enough to be heard without attracting any attention.

"What was what?" he responded, unable to resist.

The bartender placed a short, square glass in front of him and he picked it up, taking a small sip of the amber liquid. Oak and caramel burned a path down his throat, and he closed his eyes. Much better. Reenergized, Sasuke looked at her, meeting her stare head on.

"Oh, do you mean saving you from having to sit by that idiot?" he asked, taking another sip. "You're welcome."

Before she could reply, and he knew she wanted to, Tsunade walked by, giving them a meaningful look and raising her wrist to tap at an imaginary watch as she made her way to the table.

"Mother calls," Sasuke said mockingly as he raised his glass again. Sakura blew air out of her pretty lips, but otherwise didn't respond. He eyed her from the side, but she was staring determinedly ahead. Counting to ten again perhaps?

He looked back towards the dinner table, watching as Tsunade walked to the head of the table where Orochimaru stood, waiting for her. They appeared to exchange pleasantries, and Orochimaru pulled the seat out for her. She sat, and he tucked it in, glancing back at Sasuke and raising his head slightly in a silent call to approach.

"You shouldn't leave daddy waiting. He needs his star attraction," Sakura breathed softly, picking up her own chilled glass. Sasuke glanced at her, feeling a smirk float to his mouth as he regarded her smug smile. Well, well, well. Sakura had come to play.

"Well, we shouldn't leave the parents waiting then," Sasuke said, leaving her at the bar. After a beat, he heard her heels click behind him. Even her feet managed to sound exasperated. His smirk widened.

He liked making her angry. The realization startled him a little, but then again, he liked making Naruto angry too. Was he becoming friends with Sakura Haruno? It didn't feel like friendship. Not that he had much experience with the concept. But tonight, when he had looked up from the worn apartment floor to the sight of Sakura in a too short robe, her pink hair pulled away from her face in rollers, he had felt a surge of laughter so great he had almost burst. Her hair had looked insane, but it was the pure shock and horror in her eyes that had been his undoing. It had taken incredible force of will to keep his voice steady.

As she raged against him in her apartment, slightly manic even for her, it had dawned on him that she was embarrassed. That hadn't been his intent. Make her angry, yes. Make her embarrassed, no. Clearly showing up to her home had been a poor choice. He had tried to fix it by offering to drive her, although not driving her would have been particularly cruel. They were going to the same place after all, and her heels looked painfully high.

She seemed fine now though, which surprised him slightly. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting from Sakura tonight, but it wasn't this. This Sakura was confident. She had walked into the party as though she owned the place, and easily charmed one of the richest men in the country in less than ten seconds.

She didn't seem nervous at all being in a room full of what Sasuke considered to be some of the most important, and in some cases dangerous, men in the city. He frowned, recalling the way Mizuki, who had to be at least ten years older then them, had leaned into Sakura, his eyes lingering on the swell of her chest. She had seemed oblivious to that at least. If she was aware of how half the male eyes in the room had darted to her the minute she had entered, she hid it well.

Sasuke took another sip of his drink and placed his glass on the table by the free chair to Orochimaru's left. He watched as Sakura took a seat next to Tsunade. Mizuki, who was situated towards the middle of the table, likewise watched as she sat. Keep dreaming, Sasuke thought to himself with a flicker of annoyance. Sakura's eyes raked over the table, seemingly searching for something, and met his own briefly before she turned to speak with her boss. They were seated on opposite ends of the room for dinner. Sakura by Tsunade. Sasuke by Orochimaru. Orochimaru, who had been engaged in conversation with a beautiful brunette, rose, gently ringing a knife against his crystal goblet to draw everyone's attention.

"Friends, before we begin, let me welcome you to what I am sure will be a night for the ages. This merger has been a long time coming, and we are both delighted you could make it here tonight to help us celebrate. Please join me in a toast to you, our excellent clients, for whom our new firm will have the pleasure of serving for, we hope, many years to come. Cheers."

The room echoed with clinking glasses, and Orochimaru sat back down by his pupil.

"Inspired?" He hissed quietly to Sasuke.

"Hn," Sasuke merely said, his eyes still fixed on Sakura, who was being introduced to the woman across the table from her.

"Sakura is looking rather devastating tonight," Orochimaru observed, following his gaze. "Black suits her." Sasuke snapped his eyes back to his plate.

"I hadn't noticed," he said as a waiter placed a salad in front of him.

"Hadn't you?" Orochimaru said wryly, picking up his fork. The dinner, which lasted almost two hours, was as painful as Sasuke had expected. The men with whom he sat were all delighted to meet an Uchiha, and preceded to pummel him with story after story about his father, and in some cases, his brother. By the time the dessert course arrived, Sasuke's face ached from keeping his mask in place. Despite knowing better, he was on his third bourbon. The alcohol at least dulled the roar in his ears.

Sakura, on the other hand, looked to be enjoying herself. He could hear peels of laughter radiating from the men and women who sat on the other side of the room. He hadn't known Sakura was funny, but her section of the table seemed to be delighted with her. Tsunade looked quite pleased as well. Sasuke tried not to watch Sakura as she chatted, but her face was so expressive, it practically glowed in the candlelight.

As the dessert dishes were cleared away, Tsunade stood, inviting everyone to stay as long as they wished for a nightcap, or two, she added, winking to the cheers of a few over served gentlemen. Thank god. He could go home soon. Sasuke watched as Sakura rose, smiling placidly at a few people with whom she had been speaking, and turned to walk to the bar.

Sasuke rose, dropping his napkin on the table, and followed her.

"Another martini ma'am?" He heard the bartender ask as she neared.

"Please, and thank you," Sakura said as she pulled herself onto a stool.

"Another for me as well," Sasuke added, sidling next to her. She looked at him, her eyes still bright from laughing.

"Enjoying yourself?"

"I am," she said firmly, looking away from him to her own reflection in the mirror that ran behind the bar. "I'm sitting with a client I have spoken to a hundred times on the phone, but have never met in person. Considering how much work I've done for her company in the past, it's quite fun to finally meet."

Sasuke stared at her. Meeting a client was fun, huh?

"You don't like these events, do you?" Sakura said quietly, picking up the drink that the bartender placed in front of her. She picked up the stick holding the olive and slid it smoothly into her mouth. He watched as she pulled the stick back out, the olive gone.

"No," he said, watching as she placed the now empty stick down on the table. "I don't."

"What about it bothers you?" she said, taking a sip of her drink. He picked up his own refreshed glass and took a hearty drink, letting the warmth trickle down his throat.

"It's pretentious," he said as he swallowed. "These people gather together so they can whip out their dicks and compare whose is larger. It's not about networking, it's about showing off."

"Does Orochimaru do that often? Show you off, I mean?" She asked, tracing the lip of her martini glass with her finger. Sasuke glowered slightly, wondering if she was aware she was practically making love to her drink.

"Yes," he heard himself say. "He does. Or he tries to at least." Her finger stopped, and she looked at him, their eyes meeting. "I try to make it as difficult for him as possible," he said, taking another sip of bourbon. She smiled, and he felt his own lips tug upward.

"Sakura," Tsunade suddenly said from behind them. "Come meet a client of ours. He's dying to meet the associate who wrote the demand letter in the Toshito case. Apparently he was very impressed with your work."

Sakura glanced at Sasuke, shrugged, and rose to follow after her partner, taking her glass with her. He wondered how many of those she had had. He watched her go, studying the woman as she bowed to a richly attired man who grasped her hand enthusiastically. Her hair was beginning to frizz a little at the ends, no doubt due to the warm room. Other than that though, she still looked every bit the part. Young. Fresh. Eager.

Sasuke stayed at the bar, largely ignoring the room, and considered whether now was the time to slip out. Sakura was clearly doing just fine. He waited another fifteen or so minutes, making boring conversation with boring people who surged over to say their hellos or goodbyes, and at 11:00, deciding he had had enough, stood to leave. He began to move towards the curtained opening, but just as he passed a group of happily twittering people, Orochimaru stepped to him, his eyes hard.

"Sasuke, so glad you made your way over. A group of youngsters was about to make its way to another bar down the street," Orochimaru said, gesturing towards a cluster of about ten people, Sakura included. They appeared to be gathering their things. "Go with them and take care of the bill. The firm will reimburse." Sasuke stared at Orochimaru. This was clearly punishment for his earlier comment about their clients being guilty . . . .

"I was just leaving," Sasuke managed to get out between his clenched jaws. "Have Sakura pick up the tab," he added, indicating the woman with a flick of his wrist. She was deep in conversation with a short man who was staring at her like he had won some sort of lottery.

"I would prefer you do it Sasuke. Think of it as a personal favor," Orochimaru said. When Sasuke didn't move, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a black leather wallet, removing a credit card. "Here, I'll do you one better. Put everything on this." He passed Sasuke the heavy plastic, and Sasuke took it reluctantly.

"Have fun," Orochimaru said, turning back to a group of men.

"Shan't," Sasuke said under his breath, tucking the card into his back pocket. He cracked his neck, and walked to join the group.

"Sasuke," a bespectacled man about five years older than him said in greeting.

"Kabuto," Sasuke replied stiffly.

"Joining us are you?"

"Unfortunately," he replied.

"Don't be a bore Sasuke, we need to show our clients a good time," Kabuto said with a sharp smile. Sasuke ignored him, turning instead to glance at Sakura. She was still chatting with the short man, but when she met his eyes, she appeared to slow. He watched as she gave the man a pearly white smile, said something, and then strolled over to him.

"Are you coming too?" She asked, her eyes searching his face.

"Yes," he responded tersely.

"Orders, I take it?" She said, polishing off the last of her drink.

"Yes. I'm under instruction to finance the fun," he added distastefully.

"Firm money?" She asked, raising a brow.

"Orochimaru's actually. Though they tend to be one in the same." Sakura tilted her head, and smiled slowly.

"Well, in that case," she said mischievously, meeting his eyes, "we should make sure to show the clients a _very_ good time. Orochimaru would only want the best for them, wouldn't he?" Sasuke considered her, and smiled back as understanding washed over him.

"Yes, yes he would."

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Sasuke sat with Sakura in a large private booth, a young woman in a short black skirt placing several bottles in front of the small gathering of clients who were frolicking about them.

"What did you order?" Sakura said into his ear, trying to be heard over the loud club music that banged below.

"No idea. I just asked for the most expensive champagne they had," Sasuke called back, watching as one of the clients uncorked a bottle with a whoop of delight. Foam spurted out, and the party laughed loudly, raising their flutes for a pour.

"Hmm, that won't hurt enough. We want to send a strong message. Perhaps some caviar is in order as well?" Sakura said, tapping her chin with her finger in thought. Sasuke smirked.

"Who knew you had such expensive tastes, Haruno? I thought you came from a nice middleclass family."

"Oh, I do," Sakura called back, "but being friends with Ino has completely ruined me." He laughed, and she smiled widely, clearly pleased with herself. Another waitress approached and passed Sasuke two shot glasses, one of which he passed to Sakura.

"Tequila," he answered when Sakura looked at him doubtfully.

"No lime?"

"You don't need lime with the good stuff," he said, raising the glass to clink against the one she held. "To Senju and Uchiha, may god help us all," he said with no small hint of humor. After a pause, Sakura threw back her own.

"That's good!" She exclaimed, looking at him with wide eyes when she pulled the glass away. "You're right, no lime needed."

"I'm always right. Haven't you learned that by now?" Sakura stuck out her tongue at him.

"Another," Sasuke called to the waitress, catching the woman before she disappeared behind a black partition. She nodded and returned shortly, two more shots in hand. He took his, and threw it back without waiting for Sakura.

"Slow down!" She scolded, picking up her own glass.

"Afraid you can't keep up? I thought you said you could handle your alcohol," he mocked slightly, lounging back into the booth. He was beginning to feel the last glass of bourbon take effect. His body was awash in a warm glow, and he sunk deeper into the leather, watching her lazily. Sakura stared at him, raised the glass, and drained it, her eyes locked on his. It was one of the most erotic things he had ever seen.

The night seemed to slip by quickly, and Sasuke felt himself falling into a comfortable state of tipsy ease with every sip of drink. Sakura seemed likewise relaxed as she laughed with the group, her eyes coming to rest on Sasuke every once in a while, almost like checking to make sure he was still there. He ordered another round, and Sakura took hers like a champ.

"Sakura! Come dance with us!" Sasuke whipped his head to glare at the short man who was suddenly in front of them, his hands reaching down to invite Sakura up.

"Yes, let's go!" A slender woman who Sasuke recalled had been sitting by him at dinner called, her arm roped through Kabuto's own.

Sakura glanced at Sasuke.

"Go," he said, waiving her away.

She stared at him, her eyes gentle.

"Come with," she said softly.

"Go," he said again, his voice stern. "You have my permission." Anger flashed in her eyes. That was more like it. Sakura stood up abruptly and without a word walked with the party down the short flight of stairs to the packed dance floor. Sasuke stood and strolled to the railing, watching as the group melded into the crowd.

He stood there for a while, feeling the bass reverberate through his body as he watched them find a spot in the mass. The benefit of getting bottle service at this particular establishment was getting access to the private balcony rooms. It wasn't any quieter up here, but at least there was a velvet rope that kept the company limited.

He went back to the couch and pulled out his phone to check his work email. The inbox was—of course—empty. He stuffed the phone back into his suit pocket and shrugged off his coat and tie. The room suddenly felt blisteringly hot. Perhaps the two shots of tequila—no, make that three—had been ill advised. A shadow suddenly obstructed his face, and he looked up.

Sakura stood over him. Hands on her hips, a stubborn look in her eyes.

"Come dance," she demanded.

"No," he said, leaning back.

"Come. Dance." She repeated irritably. "If you have to be here, you might as well have fun."

"Nothing about dancing is fun," he snorted, stuffing his hands in his pants pockets and closing his eyes.

"Sasuke," Sakura suddenly said, her voice a whisper in his ear. His eyes popped open. She was inches away from his face, her hair falling in a curtain over her shoulder. "Come. Dance." She repeated slowly. They looked at each other for what felt like minutes.

Sasuke sighed.

"Fine." Her lips curved into a wicked smile, and she backed away to allow him up.

He stood, but leaned down for one of the bottles. He took a drink, and handed it to her.

"Think of it as a toll payment," he said smirking. She smirked back, took a drink, and put the bottle down before turning to leave. He followed her down the stairs onto the floor, sticking closely to her through the tightly packed throng. As she weaved in between people, he felt her hand snake back and grab his, pulling him along with her. After a moments pause, he closed his hand around her own. Her hand was warm.

When they arrived at the group, they were greeted with a loud cheer.

"You're the Uchiha Whisperer!" Kabuto yelled to Sakura over the music, pushing up his glasses. Sasuke applauded himself for not punching him in the face right then and there. God he hated Kabuto. The slender woman—he couldn't for the life of him remember her name—disentangled herself from Kabuto's side and strutted over, slightly edging Sakura aside. She began to dance around him, whipping her head seductively.

Maybe it was the fourth bourbon. Maybe it was the shots. Maybe it was the glare on Sakura's face. But he found himself moving to the rhythm with the woman, just slightly. As they danced, a waiter appeared, holding a tray filled with drinks, and Sasuke watched as Sakura pounded not one, but two small glasses of something yellow. The slender woman continued to strut around him, her body moving suggestively against his own. In a flash, she abruptly tumbled forward, and a man caught her. Sasuke glanced back, his eyes landing on Sakura.

"Oops," she said shrugging. "It's a tight fit." He bet it was. He scooted closer to her, lowering his lips near her ear.

"Are you pushing clients, Ms. Haruno?" He teased, "Tsunade won't appreciate that."

"I didn't push her, she fell," Sakura said, her body swaying to the music, raising her arms above her head as she rocked her hips back and forth, turning away from him.

"That's not how it looked to me," Sasuke yelled, prowling towards her. "You aren't . . . jealous, are you?" He heard an inelegant snort.

"Please," she laughed, spinning around to face him. He pushed into her space.

"Oh, I think you are. You always did have a bit of a crush on me. Come on, admit it Sakura. You were head-over-heels for me in school." Instead of pulling back, which was the response he expected, he felt her lean in.

In a lazy, drunken voice, she murmured into his ear. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Emboldened by the alcohol coursing through his system, Sasuke placed a hand on her waist, running his fingers to the small of her back, and began to move their bodies to the steady beat, feeling her soft hair tickling the back of his hand as he held her.

"What is it with you and putting your hand on my back," she sighed against him, bringing her hands up to his neck.

"What?" He asked, turning her slightly to get a better look at her face. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were glazed over in that all too familiar look of someone who had had too much to drink. Perhaps he shouldn't have ordered those shots after all.

"Sakura," he said, feeling her fingers twist into the nape of his neck, "you should go home."

Her fingers froze, and he felt her try to pull away sharply. For some reason, he held fast.

"Let go," she said into his ear.

"Let me take you home Sakura," he said. "It's late, and the club closes soon anyway."

"Maybe I don't want to go home," she responded, looking at him. "I'm having fun."

"Dancing isn't fun," he reminded her.

"I think you liked it," she purred.

"Stay here," he said, letting her go and pushing through the crowd to the private stairs. He took them two at a time, waiving down the short-skirted woman.

"I need to leave, but I'd like my friends to keep drinking. Could you run the card now but wait to close the tab at the end of the night? Add a healthy tip for yourself, whatever you think fair. I'll have my assistant call on Monday for a copy of the check." She smiled.

"Not a problem." Five minutes later, Sasuke fought his way back through the crowd, his tie tucked into his pocket and his suit jacket draped over an arm. Sakura was dancing in the middle of the group with another woman, and Sasuke edged around her to yell into Kabuto's ear.

"The tab is still open until bar close. If you remember, ask for the receipt before you leave. I'm going." Kabuto nodded, and Sasuke reached his hand down to grasp Sakura's wrist gently. She looked at him.

"Time to go dancing queen," he said with a smirk. This time, she didn't fight him. Sakura threaded her fingers into his own, and he pulled her out of the crowd, past the bouncer, and into the cool night air. He heard her take a deep breath, sighing happily as she exhaled.

"It's a little too far to walk to your apartment Sakura. I'll order a car," Sasuke said, reaching for his phone with his free hand.

"I want to walk," she said dreamily, walking down the street, pulling him along by virtue of the fact their hands were still clasped together. He felt a little drunk too, though perhaps not as drunk as Sakura. The world swayed a little before him, and he shook his head. Who was he kidding? He was very drunk. The last thing he wanted to do was walk to her apartment.

"It's too far, Sakura," he repeated, "let me order a car."

"Finnne," she said, "spoil sport. Let me do it." She dropped his hand and searched her dress as if it had pockets. Her hands slowed.

"Sakura," Sasuke said suddenly. "Where's your bag?" She looked at him, her eyes hazy.

"It wasn't in there?" She asked hopefully. He thought back.

"I didn't see it," he said. She groaned and she leaned against the building wall, pushing her forehead into the stucco.

"Shit. I must have left it in the restaurant." He ran his hand through his hair.

"Well, the restaurant is closed now," he said, checking the time. Yep, long closed.

"My keys were in there," she whined. "And my cell phone."

"When we get to your place you can just buzz up and knock at your door. Ino will let you in," he said, leaning against the wall next to her. She turned her head to look at him.

"Have you met Ino?" She slurred slightly. "A marching band wouldn't wake her. What use is a buzzer?" Sasuke closed his eyes, feeling the world spinning again.

"There's no doorman to let you in?" He asked.

"Sasuke, you've seen my place, does it look like we have a doorman?"

No. No it did not. In defeat, Sasuke pulled out his phone, ordered a car, and pulled on his suit jacket.

"I ordered us a car," he said.

"Great," she huffed. "I'll just sleep in the lobby. I'm sure somebody will come out of the front door at least . . . at 1:00AM . . ." she trailed off.

"You're not going to sleep in the lobby," he said, rubbing his face. "You can sleep on my couch."

Sakura stared at him.

"Thank you," she said, her voice low and soft. He looked at her a long while, taking in the mess of pink curls and her smoky lidded eyes, still cloudy from drink.

"You're welcome," he said simply. They waited for a few minutes in silence until a black sedan pulled in front of them. Sasuke helped Sakura into the back seat, closing the door gently before walking around to the other side.

"What about your car?" She asked sleepily as he buckled her in.

"It's fine overnight at the restaurant lot. I'll retrieve it tomorrow," he said, turning to fasten his own seatbelt. "I can't drive anyway. I'm drunk."

"That's good," she added dreamily. "Very safe." The car pulled forward, and Sasuke looked at her again. Her head bobbed on her neck as the car sped off, and he reached over, bringing her head to rest on his shoulder. If someone had told him five years ago that he would be leaving a club with Sakura Haruno well after midnight, drunk, and heading back to his place, he would have laughed in their face. But here he was, and he wasn't laughing.

"Sasuke," Sakura mumbled into his shoulder. "I'm sorry I was so angry earlier at my apartment. You just . . . startled me . . . Anger, it's my defense mechanism . . . ." she said quietly.

"I'm sorry I startled you," he responded. When she didn't say anything, he glanced down, noticing her breath had slowed to a steady pace. She was asleep.

He shifted, trying to make her more comfortable, and settled into the ride, closing his eyes as well. He may have startled her, but Sakura . . . Sakura was beginning to startle him too.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

* * *

When Sakura woke, the first thing she noticed was the softness of the sheets. Ino had to be using a new fabric softener. Sakura inhaled through her nose, breathing in the scent. Mmmm, what was that? Sandalwood?

She stretched, bringing her hands over her head and collided with a hard wood board. Her eyes blinked opened. She didn't own a headboard . . . . Sakura turned her head, focusing on the red blinking numbers that spelled out 11:04 AM. Nor did she own an alarm clock . . . .

Sakura sat up quickly, regretting her movement instantly as the world spun about her. She raised a hand to her head, cradling it as she glanced around. She was laying amidst bleach white sheets in a king sized bed inside a large room with equally white walls. A large window stretched across the wall on her left, letting in bright morning light. But for the fact her head pounded, she might have thought she was in heaven. Or maybe an insane asylum . . . .

Sakura froze as the scattered memories of the previous evening lapped into focus. Dear. God. She was in Sasuke's apartment.

Silently, she sunk back into the bed, pulling the comforter over her head. She lay there for a moment in the darkness, her eyes clenched tight as though she might will herself into her own bed. Or—she thought desperately—perhaps she should click her heels together three times. Disappointingly, nothing happened when she tried.

What had happened last night? She had a hazy memory of dancing, and warm breath at her ear, and an even warmer hand at her waist. She curled her toes, remembering the feel of his hair in her fingers. He had smelled so nice. A rush of warmth burned deep between her legs, and she clenched her thighs together.

Breathe Sakura. After a few steady breaths, she opened her eyes. Ok, now that she had that under control, time to reconstruct the night. She remembered Sasuke pulling her out of a car . . . her tripping, nice move . . . him helping her into an elevator . . . and then lowering her gently onto a bed . . . Holy shit! She glanced down and let out a relieved sigh. She was still wearing her black dress. Ok. Good. At least it appeared she hadn't drunkenly slept with him. There was no coming back from that.

Sakura pulled back the heavy blanket and glanced around the bright room. In addition to the bed and side table, it held a dresser, a beautiful cloth armchair with matching ottoman, and a large abstract painting that added the only splash of color to the otherwise monotone color scheme. Along one wall were two doors, one of which was slightly ajar. A third door sat closed on the adjacent wall.

"Sasuke?" She called hesitantly. When no response came, Sakura pulled back the blanket and slowly lowered her feet, feeling her toes press into a lush carpet.

"Hello?" She yelled, her voice louder. Still nothing. Gathering her courage, Sakura walked around the bed to the open door and pushed. It glided open on silent hinges, revealing a darkened room. She crept in, her hand reaching at the wall until she found a light switch. She flipped it, and gasped.

Sasuke's walk-in closet was criminally beautiful. Grey wood built-ins flanked the walls, the compartments perfectly situated to provide a space for every conceivable item. She trailed her fingers along a shoe rack, only a third full, that took up a large portion of one wall. How many pairs of running shoes did one man need? In the middle of the room stood an island made of the same grey wood and topped with white quartz. Her fingers itched to open its drawers. Surely one peak wouldn't hurt? She pulled the top drawer open and peered inside. Rows upon rows of silk ties, all perfectly wrapped and organized by color, sat neatly inside. Her fingers grazed a familiar dark green tie before she withdrew and shut the drawer. It slid silently closed, stopping gently before it reached the end before shutting with a soft click. Soft close drawers. Nice touch.

Sakura took a final lap of the room, her eyes lingering on the suits that hung in their dry cleaning bags before jumping over to the row of dress shirts, all perfectly pressed. She sighed dreamily. This space was wasted on a man. Reluctantly, Sakura returned to the bedroom, shutting off the closet light and closing the door behind her lest the temptation to snoop become too great. She tried the other door next, and found herself in the ensuite bathroom.

As with the closet, the bathroom was unnecessarily large. It held both a large walk-in-shower with a frosted glass door, and a clawfoot tub so big it could hold two people. Along one wall ran a vanity with two sinks and the same white quartz top from the closet. The under cupboards were likewise made of grey wood, and in the corner was a matching make-up vanity flanked by two large cabinets. The black and white tile floor was covered with a thick white rug, and Sakura padded across it to make use of the sparkling porcelain throne tucked in a corner behind a half wall. Even the toilet paper was lush. She flushed and washed her hands in one of the deep sinks, finally looking at herself in the mirror.

As expected, she looked a damn mess. Sakura raised a hand to her hair, whimpering as she tried to comb out the knots that had gathered during the night. Her long curls were long gone, and in their place was a puffy disaster. What she would give for a brush. Feeling she had done the best she could with her hair, Sakura moved to the mascara that had smeared under her eyes, creating that dreaded raccoon look.

She swiped a few Kleenexes from a box on the counter and wetted them, trying to wipe away the makeup with little luck. Well, shit. She settled for washing her face with water and gargling some mouthwash she found in one of the make-up vanity cabinets. Nothing to do about the lack of toothbrush. She wasn't about to steal Sasuke's.

When Sakura returned to the bedroom, she eyed the last door, knowing where it must lead. She crossed the room and creaked it open, peering out carefully. Unlike her apartment, which had a narrow back hallway, Sasuke's bedroom seemed to open straight into an open concept great room. She called Sasuke's name, and hearing nothing, walked out, examining the space. It was very modern. A stainless steel kitchen with a huge island counter dominated the room. A dining table sat to the left of the kitchen, decorated sparsely with the round glass table, six wooden chairs, and the Uchiha Crest, which hung above the table proudly.

The rest of the room was occupied by a black leather sectional that was so large and deep it looked like a bed. She walked over to it, pausing as she noticed a pillow and blanket folded neatly on the glass coffee table. He must have slept on the couch, she thought to herself absently.

Sakura glanced around, locating a sliding glass door to her right that let out onto a wide porch. It offered a magnificent view of downtown. She suddenly wondered where they were. Not in the heart of downtown clearly, but close to it. Probably in the South Loop area, she thought as she studied the landscape. Unfortunately, her apartment was in the North End. Great.

Sakura walked to the sliding door, wondering if perhaps Sasuke was sitting outside. But the porch was empty, save for the whicker patio furniture and an expensive looking grill tucked into a corner by a brick bar. She stared a little longer at the skyline. What would it be to wake up to this view every morning?

She turned around and eyed the dining room, noticing there appeared to be a hallway tucked away in the far corner. She adventured over, and tried the first of four doors tucked into the short space. She knocked, and when no reply came, she walked in, finding herself in a small bathroom. Still larger than hers, of course, but unlike the master bath, it only held a shower, toilet, and single vanity. Sakura closed the door and tried the next one. Ah, his home office. The room was well sized, and she guessed it had probably been a guest bedroom before Sasuke converted it into his workspace. He had a comfortable looking chair behind the glass desk, and there were tall bookshelves that ran along the opposite wall, the shelves packed with heavy looking volumes. She shuttered a little as she inhaled sandalwood.

Sakura shut the door, suddenly feeling very intrusive. What was she doing? If Sasuke caught her poking around he was likely to be furious. She stood in the hallway, her hand on the handle to the last door, eyeing it wearily. She wanted to look. So, so bad. Fuck it.

She twisted the handle and stepped inside. As with the office, it appeared to be another bedroom, though it held no furniture. The closet was open, and inside she could see a washer and dryer, along with a basket overflowing with clothing. Hmm, apparently he wasn't as clean and orderly as he pretended.

The rest of the room seemed to be used for storage, though she noted a heavy duty looking treadmill took up a corner. A flat screen TV was suspended from the wall such that he could watch it as he ran. How nice for him. Delicately, she shut the door, and tried the last handle. To her surprise, it was locked. Probably where he keeps the bodies, she thought sinisterly as she returned to the living room. There was another closet by the front door, as well as an armoire and an expensive looking stereo in a corner, but Sakura resisted the temptation to explore further. She was pushing her luck as it was.

With nowhere left to snoop, she glanced around, trying to decide what to do next. Sasuke was nowhere to be found, and without her phone or keys, she was reluctant to leave his place. She had no money to pay for a cab, and no clue where he lived. She supposed she could just start walking, she did know the city pretty well after all. Eventually, she would find her way home. Sakura eyed her three-inch heels that sat by the front door and grimaced. Maybe not.

Instead, she strode to the kitchen, looking for a landline. If Ino was home she could come pick her up. The thought chafed—Ino would have a field day with this—but her taunting would still be better than walking home in those shoes. Though only just by a bit.

As Sakura reached the kitchen, she heard the scrape of a lock at the door. She jumped as a tall man with blue-black hair opened the front door and stepped inside. He pushed the door shut with his foot, his hands full of bags and a beverage carrier. As he turned towards the kitchen, he glanced up and paused, seemingly surprised by the sight of her in his kitchen. What, had Sasuke forgotten she was here? Or, she thought miserably, maybe he had hoped she would be gone by the time he returned. Internally, Sakura pounded her fist against her head. He probably thought she was a stage five clinger. She should have left the moment she woke. When he didn't say anything, she forced a smile onto her face, and spoke.

"Hi," she said, a little too brightly.

"You're awake," he stated in reply, coming all the way into the room and placing the bags and beverage carrier on the island. Sakura eyed it, her heart leaping in her chest when she realized it held not one, but two large coffees. One. Two.

"You got coffee?" She asked.

"Hn," Sasuke said in reply, toeing off his running shoes. Sakura looked at him, taking in his tightly fitting athletic shirt, dark blue shorts, and sweat dried hair.

"Were you running?"

"Yes," he said evenly, reaching into one of the white bags and withdrawing a black leather purse. "Here," he said, tossing it to her. She caught it.

"My bag! Where was it?"

"Zenkichi, which luckily for you was open for brunch. I stopped by and picked it up when I retrieved my car this morning." Sakura zipped the bag open and located her phone. It was almost dead, but the battery held enough life to show she had several missed calls and texts from Ino. Crap.

Sakura looked at him.

"Any chance you have a charger I can borrow? Ino thinks I'm laying in an alley somewhere." Sasuke smirked and came around the island, scooting her over gently with his hips. He opened a drawer and dug around for a minute before extracting a thin white cord.

"Here," he said, handing it to her and pointing to an outlet. Sakura plugged it in, watching as the screen brightened. She opened a text to Ino and quickly typed out that she was not dead, she would be home soon, and for the love of everything holy Ino better not have called her mother. While she typed, she heard Sasuke's footsteps pad away. Moments later, he returned, holding a bundle of clothing. He placed the pile on the counter and rustled open one of the bags, withdrawing a pair of flip-flops.

"I thought," he started, folding up the now empty paper bag, "you might prefer not to return home dressed like that." Sakura jerked her head back from her phone screen, frowning.

"Dressed like what?" She asked, her voice sharp around the edges. Sasuke, taking his time, looked at her, his eyes dipping to make a very purposeful inspection of her person. Her cheeks burned as she felt his gaze linger over her messy locks.

"Like you spent the night in someone else's bed," he said finally, tossing the now folded bag onto the counter. Sakura grew hot, but she fought against the overwhelming desire to sink to the floor. Sasuke was staring at her, his face searching for a reaction. She straightened her back. She would be damned if she gave him one. When Sakura didn't speak, Sasuke picked up the pile of clothing from the counter and walked to the small bathroom, opening it and flipping on the light.

"The towels hanging in here are clean, and you're welcome to anything you find in the cabinets. I think there is a bottle of shampoo and conditioner in there somewhere." He said, placing the small pile of clothing down on the vanity. He turned back to her, indicating with a casual waive the small blue bag that sat to her right on the counter. "I had my doorman run next door to the building's spa to fetch you those shoes and anything else he thought might be helpful. Use it, don't use it, I don't care."

Sasuke turned and walked to his bedroom, shutting the door behind him. She thought she heard a shower rumble on a few minutes later. Sakura stood, alone again in his kitchen, and groaned, crumbling forward onto the white quartz countertop. The smooth surface felt blissfully cool against her burning face. She glanced at the front door, back to the bathroom, and to her phone. She could leave. She had her things. She could order a car and be back home in thirty minutes.

Or, she thought as she glanced at the blue bag he had given her, she could shower in Sasuke Uchiha's bathroom. She lifted her body up and dug through the bag. There was a cheap brush, some makeup wipes, hair ties, and an assortment of fancy creams and face washes. Of course his building had a private spa, she thought rolling her eyes as she twisted open a container, smelling the expensive skin cream. She closed the bottle up and tossed it back into the bag, considering her choices.

She imagined him coming out to the main room and finding it empty, a knowing smirk plastered on his face. He would probably think she was running away. Too childish to face the fact he had dragged her drunken ass back to his apartment and put her into his bed. She groaned again. God, she had slept in his bed.

What would Ino do? Ino would probably open Sasuke's door and join him in the shower. Ok, maybe not what would Ino do . . . Maybe, what would Temari do? Sakura drummed her fingers on the counter. Probably yell at him. Ok, how about, what would Sakura do? She glanced at the front door one more time, and decision made, picked up the bag.

* * *

When Sasuke came out of his bedroom, a towel draped over his shoulders to catch the stray moisture from his still wet hair, he noted that Sakura's phone was still plugged into the island outlet. He passed to the closed bathroom door and listened. The shower was on. He smirked.

She had stayed.

Sasuke crossed to the kitchen to open the fridge, and pulled out a pitcher of water. He poured himself a large glass and sipped it, staring at the closed door of his guest bath.

This morning, when he woke on the couch, he had laid there for a long while, debating what to do. His rational brain, the one that dictated most of his life, told him to go into the bedroom, wake her up, and stick her in a car back to her apartment. But the other part of his brain, the reckless part that had led to Sakura spending the night here in the first place—in his bed no less—was conflicted. He had felt something shift in himself last night, and the idea of tossing her out of his apartment like yesterdays trash, knowing she would be painfully embarrassed, hadn't sat well.

So, he hadn't made a choice. He had slipped into his bedroom and changed quickly in his closet into running clothing. When he came out, he stopped, watching Sakura for a moment as she slept. Some women were graceful sleepers, their hair perfectly fanned out around their heads and their hands effortlessly placed as though they had fallen asleep in mid-stretch. Sakura was not one of those women.

She was face down in bed, the comforter crumpled around her body as though she had wrestled with it. Her hair was twisted under her head in knots, and her black dress had inched up high on her thighs. He studied her, his eyes lingering on the smooth skin of her thighs. At least she didn't snore.

Sasuke wasn't going to deal with her just yet. Pretending she wasn't there was preferable to making any real decision. And who knew? She could be gone when he returned, which might be for the best. She would sink away, acting as if last night had never happened, and he would go along with the charade. It was the best result.

Nodding to himself, Sasuke retreated to the park like he did most mornings. As he pushed his body through his normal run, weaving around the obnoxious people who blocked his path, his mind kept wandering back to last night. He thought of her laughing as she chatted at dinner, and the way she had thrown back that shot, her eyes challenging him to tease her. He had had fun, and it surprised him. Maybe Naruto was right. Maybe Sakura wasn't that bad . . . .

When he felt he had pushed his body far enough, Sasuke jogged back to his place, ticking through his options.

Forty-five minutes later, he pulled his car back into his assigned spot in the underground garage and climbed out, bringing with him the packages. He rode the elevator up to the ground level, retrieved the bag he requested from the doorman, and clambered back into the elevator. When he finally arrived home and let himself in, the sight of Sakura had caught him cold.

She stood, barefoot in his kitchen, the morning light from his sliding glass door bathing her in a yellow glow. Her dress was hopelessly wrinkled, and although she had clearly tried to fix her hair, and it was still a frizzy mess about her pale face. When she saw him, she likewise froze, looking very much like a deer caught in a hunter's scope. Then, her face had split open into that forced smile he was beginning to recognize, and he felt his mouth twitch in amusement. She was such a bad actress.

Sasuke heard the water switch off, and he reached into the last bag on the counter, withdrawing a small bakery box. He grabbed it, along with the coffees, and walked to the sliding glass door, pushing it open with his foot. He set the items down on the table and lifted the lid of the box, inspecting the contents. Maybe, he thought as he made a selection and took a bite of the sugary dough, they could get some work done on the Tanaka matter while she was here. He chewed slowly, considering, and took a long slug of coffee to help wash away the sickly sweet taste.

From behind him, he heard the door slide open. Sakura walked hesitantly forward, her long pink hair wet and brushed away from her clean, make-up free face. As he suspected, his t-shirt was far too big on her. She swam in it, but at least the shorts seemed to be staying up ok. He wondered absently if she was going commando. Probably. He wouldn't have wanted to put on dirty underwear.

"Donuts?" She asked when she caught sight of his cruller.

"Hn," he responded, turning to look back to his view.

"Those, those are Naruto's crullers," she continued, sounding confused.

"Yes, I told you, I live by that deli too," he said as though speaking to a lost child. She stared at him until he started to feel the back of his neck itch.

"You don't have to eat them, Sakura. I simply thought you would want something considering how much you had to drink last night." He reached for his coffee, taking a measured sip. Any second now.

"I wasn't. That. Drunk," she bit out. Ahhh, there it was.

"That's not what I recall," he said, watching as she sat and pulled out a donut, dissecting it into fourths on the wax paper before tossing a bite into her mouth.

"Well, you have a lousy memory then," she said grumpily as she chewed. Sasuke eyed her, an easy smile spreading across his face.

"To the contrary Sakura, I remember _everything_ ," he said quietly, stressing the last word. Sakura choked, and he pushed her coffee cup forward. Sasuke one, Sakura zero.

She accepted the cup and gulped down the warmish liquid, sputtering a little as she regained her breath. Sasuke watched passively, observing that her damp hair was beginning to leave dark wet marks across her shoulders and down her back.

"Better?" He asked, taking another sip.

"Mhm," she responded, coughing a few more times before falling into silence. They sat for a moment, listening to the gentle rumble of the city.

"It's a great view," she said, taking a drink of coffee.

"It is," he agreed, not looking at her. After a few more minutes, she spoke again.

"Sasuke, thanks for letting me stay last night. I'm sorry if I was a bother."

"You were," he said, his face still directed ahead. He felt a glob of something soft and sticky hit his face before falling limply to the table. He looked down. She had thrown a chunk of donut at him.

"Very mature," he said, reaching down and popping the chunk into his mouth. She smiled, and began to stand.

"I should get going—"

"Stay," he heard himself say in a commanding tone. She halted.

"Stay," she repeated slowly, as if she had never heard the word before and were trying it on her tongue.

"Yes, Sakura. Stay. Since you're here, we may as well bill this time to the firm and work on the Tanaka matter. You were gone all week, after all, so we haven't discussed next steps."

"I was working from home," she said in a pitched, exasperated tone.

"I'm sure," he said, turning to face her more squarely. "Let's start from the beginning. Have you reviewed the file yet?"

Very slowly, Sakura sat back down, and nodded.

"Yes. I constructed a timeline as well, and a cast of characters list. They're saved to the system under attorney notes."

"That will be helpful," he admitted, glancing back to his condo. "One moment." Before she could speak, Sasuke stood, slid open the door, and strode briskly to his office. He collected the necessary supplies and came back, finding Sakura helping herself to another donut. No longer dieting then, he thought as he placed a notepad and pen before her.

"Thanks," she said, licking glaze off her fingers.

Ignoring that, but only barely, Sasuke powered up his laptop and logged onto the remote work system. Once ready, he clicked his own pen and turned his notepad to a fresh page.

"So, generally in criminal cases you want to do as much fact gathering as possible to create a clear picture of what might have happened, and what probably happened. Here, that's already been done for us. So, in addition to reinvestigating, we want to investigate what holes are in the prosecution's version of events. This is to say, we need to investigate both the underlying crime, and the state's investigation of it."

Sakura, who was jotting notes dutifully, nodded.

"Where do you recommend we start?" He asked her. Her pen paused, and she looked up.

"Oh, um—I would start with visiting the crime scene, and maybe interviewing every person the police did. Their names and addresses are all in the files." He nodded.

"Agreed. Though it's been a few years. Give the list of names to my secretary and tell her to have the firm librarian check that the contact information is still relevant. People don't usually stay for long in these places, we may need to find their new addresses."

"Sure. What else?"

Sasuke considered.

"I'm hesitant to march blindly to the crime scene and start asking people whether they sell drugs. It'll get cops turned our way quickly. But I do want to work the drug angle given Haru's comment." Sakura nodded, tapping her pen against her paper in thought.

"What about calling the detective that was on the file and asking whether he is aware of any drug activity?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"No detective will talk to the lawyers who are trying to undo all of the work he did to put the kid away."

"Right," Sakura said softly, leaning back, bringing the pen to her lips and chewing on the tip. He watched her for half a second before clawing his eyes back to the computer screen. God she was distracting.

"I ran a few searches yesterday in newspapers to see if there were any drug busts or similar events at the store and came up with nothing. But that doesn't mean there aren't any. Just that no one has been caught yet." She added, looking back at him.

"The local paper can always be bought off as well," Sasuke added. "If people bought drugs at the local store, the neighbors will know. We'll just have to ask—tactfully—as we re-interview."

"Sounds like a plan," she said, finishing her donut and stretching. She sighed contently, and fixed her jade eyes on his own.

"It sounds like you think Haru is innocent now. Coming around to the light?"

Sasuke frowned at her, considering the question.

"Is it important to you that I think he's innocent?" He finally asked. She just looked at him, pushing back strands of her slowly drying hair behind her ear.

"I think it's important that lawyers believe in their client," she said shrugging, leaning on the table slightly as her eyes probed his own. She was so naïve, he mused, looking at her sitting there in his dark blue shirt.

"I don't know whether he is innocent or not. But I will handle this matter under the presumption he is. Does that satisfy you?" She blinked, and nodded, leaning back.

"Good enough. Anything else you want to discuss today? Otherwise, I really should get home—"

"Go," Sasuke interrupted, turning to his computer to type up their to-do list. She should go.

After what felt like ages, he heard her chair scrape against the brick floor as she stood. She walked the few feet to the door, and slid it open.

"I'll see you Monday then," Sakura said from behind him.

"Hn," he said, still typing. Just go, Sakura, he thought, suddenly irritated, though unsure why.

"Well, thanks again," she said, her voice distant. "I, uh, had fun last night." He stopped, and turned, but she was already sliding the door shut behind her. And then she was gone.

* * *

Author Note:

Womp, womp. Sorry to everyone who was holding out for a lemon. I don't think they're ready for that. Yet. Also, thank you to you lovely reviewers and story followers. It makes my day when I leave work and check my email and see your notes. I read each and every one.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

* * *

When Sasuke arrived to work Monday morning, the first thing he noticed was the staring. The second was the whispers. He was used to both of course. But the intensity of attention seemed to be hyper magnified. In the elevator, two assistants he recognized were huddled together in the corner, speaking very quietly, their eyes trained on him. At first he thought they were simply being annoying. But then they giggled. And then he heard the barest whisper of a familiar name. _Sakura_. He whipped his head, awarding them with a curt frown. Their jaws slapped together.

When his floor dinged open, he strode out and walked quickly to his office. As he went, men and women seemed to stop mid-action, watching him stride by, their voices dying down as he passed and then immediately rising again, like a twisted Doppler effect. He stalked past Sakura's closed office door and rounded the corner, noticing his own door was wide open. Great.

Sasuke walked in and paused at the sight of an angry blonde man sitting on his couch.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked as he put his briefcase down on the desk. Naruto stood, whipping around to face him.

"Did you sleep with Sakura?" Sasuke froze.

"What?" He asked carefully, looking at his friend.

"Oh, you heard me. You dirty, dirty bastard. You slept with her!"

"Shut up, idiot!" Sasuke growled, striding quickly to his office door to slam it shut.

"I didn't sleep with Sakura," Sasuke said quietly, turning back around and eying her window through his own. The blinds were open—she must have been here over the weekend—but the room was dark.

"That's not what Kabuto said. He said after you practically made out with her on the dance floor you pulled her out of the club, and then," Naruto paused for dramatic effect, "you got into a car with her!"

Sasuke rubbed his temple. Fucking Kabuto.

"To take her _home_ ," he hissed through his teeth. "I got into a car with her to take her _home_."

"And did you?" Naruto implored, crossing his arms and leaning forward. When Sasuke didn't respond, Naruto leapt onto the couch, jabbing his pointer finger furiously into Sasuke's face.

"I knew it! You slept with her!" Sasuke slapped away Naruto's finger.

"I didn't sleep with her! I took her back to my place because she lost her goddamn purse and was locked out."

Naruto seemed to loose his steam at that.

"Oh. So . . . you didn't have sex?"

"No, Naruto!" Sasuke breathed, running a hand through his hair. "She slept in my bed. I slept on the couch. Nobody had sex." Naruto nodded slowly, climbing down from the furniture.

"Well, alright then," he said sheepishly. "Just wanted to make sure you hadn't taken advantage of her is all."

"Taken advantage of her? Jesus, Naruto. Have you met Sakura? She probably would have punched my lights out even if I had tried."

"That's true," Naruto said smiling, all anger forgotten. He sat down on the couch, lazily extending his arm over the back. "So, you let her sleep in your bed, huh?"

"Get. Out." Sasuke said, pointing at the door.

"I'm just saying," Naruto crooned, hands raised in defense. "You've never let _me_ sleep in your bed. Hey, the next time I get too drunk—"

"Out!" Sasuke yelled. Naruto scuttled away, laughing manically to himself. Sasuke lowered himself into his office chair, furiously wiggling his mouse to wake up the computer screen. He was going to kill Kabuto.

As Sasuke worked throughout the morning, he began to notice a pattern. Women and men—people he knew did not work on this floor—would walk past his open door, slowly glancing in. After about an hour of the intrusions, Sasuke rose and slammed it shut. Clearly gossip spread through this office like wildfire. Just his luck. He glanced over at Sakura's still dark room. Where the hell was she anyway? If he had to tolerate this, so did she dammit. It was her fault after all.

A firm knock came from the door, shaking Sasuke out of his brooding.

"Come in," he called.

"Sasuke," a cold voice purred from the entrance. Sasuke closed his eyes. Just what he needed. Orochimaru opened the door further and strolled in, coming to stand over the desk. He smiled, looking down at his pupil under hooded eyes.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked, doing his best to seem unperturbed, and failing miserably.

"Kabuto gave me the most interesting receipt this morning," Orochimaru said, dropping the paper onto Sasuke's desk delicately. "It would appear that in addition to over eight thousand dollars worth of champagne, you ordered several rounds of high end tequila, various assorted mixed drinks, and—this one is my personal favorite—caviar." Sasuke smirked. When had Sakura managed that?

"Oh?" Sasuke said, picking up the receipt and studying it in mock shock. "That can't be right? Ah, you see, you forgot that I also tipped. What is that, thirty percent?"

"Thirty-two percent, to be exact," Orochimaru replied, plucking the receipt out of Sasuke's hand. "Most generous of you."

"I do my best," Sasuke said, leaning back in his chair. "Those bottle service girls work so hard for so little."

"Quite," Orochimaru said coolly. "I also saw you ordered a town car at the end of the night. But just the one." He added, his voice dripping with unspoken meaning.

The men stared at each other, neither blinking, until Orochimaru smiled, continuing on.

"You can understand my confusion when I saw just _how_ much money was spent at your little after party. I recall handing you a credit card Sasuke, not keys to the kingdom."

" _My_ after party?" Sasuke spat, crossing his arms. "We appear to recall events very differently. I was told to entertain your clients. I did."

"Oh, I'm aware that entertaining took place," Orochimaru said smoothly, tucking the receipt into his suit jacket, "but I don't think it was with my clients."

"I'm not entirely sure why you're here," Sasuke said, unable to hold back any longer. "We both know you're going to submit the receipt to the firm anyway. And unless you've finally run my family business into the ground, I'm sure the firm will have no problem absorbing the cost." Orochimaru's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Don't test me boy—"

A sudden creak came from the door, and the men's heads whipped about. Sakura stood there, her face pale, a fist raised as though she had been about to knock.

"Um, afternoon," she murmured, clearly caught. "Am I interrupting?"

"Not at all Sakura," Orochimaru said, turning back to meet Sasuke's glare. "Sasuke and I were just discussing Friday's events. I heard the clients enjoyed themselves immensely both at dinner and the after party. Ryuu Ono in particular mentioned what a delight you were Sakura. We'll have to see about getting you on one of his company's cases."

"That would be an honor, Orochimaru," Sakura said demurely. "If you're speaking though I can come back—"

"No need. We're finished. I'll be on my way and leave Sasuke here to . . . entertain you," Orochimaru said wolfishly, holding Sasuke's stare before heading out of the room. Once Sasuke was certain Orochimaru was too far to hear anything, he addressed the woman in his office.

"What do you need?"

"Did you tell people that we . . . I mean, that I, uh, slept over at your place on Friday?" She asked, her voice just above a whisper.

Sasuke let out a ragged breath.

"Kabuto," he said simply. "Kabuto saw us leaving together."

"Ah," she said, nodding absently. "That would explain it."

"I see you've been subjected to the whispering as well?" He asked, shifting to look back at his computer screen.

"Don't forget the angry stares," she sighed, walking in so he could hear her better. "I think some of the secretaries may be plotting to kill me. Your assistant offered me coffee earlier."

"I wouldn't drink that," he said drily.

"You're telling me," Sakura said seriously, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. He glanced at her, studying her slim form. She was wearing a beige pencil skirt today with a silky white top, and her long hair hung loose around her face in soft curls. He could see small pearls in her ears, and on her wrist a thin gold chain. She was rather simple with her accessories, he noted, observing also she was wearing black heels sans panty hose. How risqué.

"Was that all?" He asked, refocusing on his screen. Stop starring at her.

"No," Sakura said, taking a seat boldly in one of his guest chairs. "While she was in my office trying to poison me, I gave your assistant those names. The library called a few minutes ago with a quick update. Apparently, the first few people with whom the police spoke are still listed at their original addresses. I'm free tomorrow morning if you wanted to try to track them down with me?"

"Mornings are no good. People are at work," Sasuke said sharply, opening his calendar. "It's better to go after dinner. Think like a telemarketer," he added.

"Point taken," Sakura said, nodding in agreement. Sasuke clicked through his appointments, considered his week.

"What about Thursday night?"

"Thursday night works," she said in reply, crossing her arms across her chest as though she was chilly. Perhaps the A/C was working a little too hard, now that he thought about it. In his suit jacket it was harder to tell, but in her thin shirt, she was probably freezing.

"We'll leave here at 6:00PM then. Bring a change of clothing, something that doesn't scream lawyer," he said dismissively, turning back to his work. "And wear flats, we'll walk."

Sakura laughed, and he jerked his head to look at her.

"What?"

"You're telling _me_ not to look like a lawyer? That's a little rich coming from you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you look like you walked off the set of Konoha Law & Order."

"I do not."

"Oh you do too! Sasuke, please, I've seen your closet," she added with another snort.

"My closet?" Sasuke echoed, smirking. "You snooped," he said slyly, standing and coming around to perch slightly on his desk.

Sakura's face paled.

"No-no," she sputtered, raising her hands up to her shoulders defensively, "I didn't."

"Oh, I think you did," Sasuke grinned, crossing his arms. "Did you take a little tour while I was out?"

"No! I . . . it's just . . . well, the door was open!" Sakura hissed, dropping her hands into little balled fists in her lap.

" _Sure_ it was," he said softly, grinning wider.

"Oh, just, shut up," Sakura growled, standing to leave.

"6:00PM!" Sasuke called after her as she stormed out. Sakura raised a hand, a particular finger extended upwards. "Manners!" He chastised, still grinning widely.

After a few seconds he heard a door slam, and a couple moments later, he could see movement flickering over his shoulder. He turned, and watched as she caught his eye and shut the blinds with a purposeful flick. So immature.

* * *

The rest of the week crept by slowly, largely uneventful but for a rather uncomfortable interaction involving his assistant. She was clearly not a fan of Sakura, and on Tuesday he had had to intervene when he saw Sakura break a pencil in half while speaking with Mayuko in the hall.

"Mayuko," he said evenly, leaning next to Sakura over the cubicle wall to stare down at his seated assistant. "Is there a problem?"

He could feel Sakura tense, but Mayuko's eyes widened happily.

"Oh hello Sasuke! Do you need anything? Cup of coffee perhaps?"

"No, Mayuko. I'm fine, though I have a feeling Ms. Haruno might need something," Sasuke said, looking at the woman in question. Her jaw was clenched tightly as she eyed his assistant.

"I just want an update on the list of names," Sakura said out of the side of her mouth, her voice a barely contained whisper of irritation. "The librarians said they sent the final list up a half hour ago."

"Mayuko, give Ms. Haruno the list," he said, speaking as though to a small child.

"Of course Sasuke!" The woman crooned, passing her a folder while keeping her eyes peeled on her boss.

"Mayuko, Ms. Haruno is working this file with us. I expect you to do whatever she asks."

"But she has her own assistant—"

"Mayuko," Sasuke interrupted, his voice hard. "Whatever she asks."

"Hai, Sasuke," Mayuko pouted, twisting away from them in her chair. There. His good deed of the day accomplished, Sasuke turned to leave, but stopped at the sharp inhale of breath from behind him.

"A word, Sasuke," Sakura exhaled, tapping the folder against her leg in an erratic rhythm. What? Did she want to thank him? Sasuke turned back, nodding curtly to her as he followed Sakura into her office. He glanced around as he entered, noticing smugly that her office was noticeably smaller than his.

Unlike his own sparsely decorated space, Sakura's office was crammed with framed photographs and knick-knacks. He fingered a small statute of a model heart that sat on her bookshelf.

"Gift from a client," Sakura said as she closed her door and strode to join him by her far wall.

"And that?" He said, pointing to a frame holding what looked like a large, silver bean with silver cords hanging from the top.

"Another gift. It's a pacemaker," she said, eyeing it with obvious pride. "My first big case with Tsunade actually. The client manufactured those and was sued for patent infringement. We won, of course."

"Fascinating," he said sardonically. She scowled and moved to her desk, dropping the folder on it with a smack.

"I wish you hadn't done that," she said as she faced him. "I was handling Mayuko just fine."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"It didn't look that way to me. I thought you were about to shove a pencil into her eye."

"Sasuke," Sakura said calmly, closing her eyes as though gathering herself. "Do you know how hard it is to be a woman in this profession? People don't take you as seriously as your male counterparts. Even other women. Then you add in the fact half the office thinks I slept with you this weekend, and poof," she said, snapping her fingers, "your credibility is entirely gone. You swooping in to save me from your idiot assistant just makes it worse. She's probably going to run her mouth just like Kabuto did. Now, any assignment I get from Orochimaru, or any public praise I receive from any member of the Uchiha side of the firm will be attributed to my supposed relationship with you. Just, let me fight my own battles, ok? I was doing it before you got here, and I'll be doing it long after our case together finishes."

Sasuke looked at her, slowly stuffing his hands into his pockets. He hadn't considered that.

"I wasn't trying to save you," he lied. "But, I apologize if I hurt your pride." Sakura whipped her head to him, her calm demeanor gone.

"Were you not listening to a word I said?"

"I was." They stared at each other until Sakura nodded, her eyes turning away to consider her view.

"I have work to do," she said dismissively. Sasuke frowned. What had just happened?

He nodded, though he knew she couldn't see him, and let himself out, glancing back at the woman who was staring pointedly away. That night, he lay awake in his large bed, unable to fall asleep. He ran the conversation over and over in his brain, trying to understand what he had done to piss her off. He had apologized hadn't he? Wasn't that enough? He turned in bed, glaring at the dark ceiling.

Why was he seemingly incapable of having a conversation with this woman without offending her? He hadn't fallen asleep until almost three in the morning, and when his alarm went off at five for his normal run, he had slept right through it.

On Wednesday, Sakura wasn't in all day, which according to Naruto was because she was taking someone's deposition across town. Naruto had volunteered the information, saying it with a careful grin like he was telling Sasuke some inside joke.

When Sasuke arrived to work on Thursday, Sakura still wasn't back. He walked past her closed door, situated himself at his desk, and began to pour over the paperwork Orochimaru had dumped on him the day before. At noon, fearing Naruto might try to persuade him to get ramen for lunch, Sasuke left for the gym. It had been far too humid to run outside this morning, but the one nice thing about Senju's office space was the private gym on the first floor.

After forty-five blissful minutes on the treadmill, Sasuke had showered, redressed, and returned to work, his mood remarkably improved. Sakura's door was open now, but empty. He wondered briefly if she had gone to lunch with someone.

Thursday flew by much the same as the preceding days. Sakura kept to her office, and Sasuke kept to his. After wrapping up a few matters Sasuke had been neglecting, he finally turned to the Tanaka matter. The boxes the public defender had sent over were stacked against one wall. Sasuke picked one up, situating himself on the couch, and flung open the lid.

He began to dig through the materials, jotting notes as he went. Sasuke had worked a fair amount of criminal defense cases. He was used to the same familiar facts. Rich man embezzles. Rich man gets caught. Rich man pleads out, pays a small fee, and goes home. But this case, with its poor victim and even poorer client, was new, all jokes aside.

The prosecution's theory made sense. The client had probably come to rob the place. But, there was also very little evidence. No eyewitnesses, no confessions, just the anonymous call, the former arrest, and the knife in his house. Damning, but still conspicuously light evidence for a murder case. Sakura's observations about the autopsy had also been apt. Sasuke pulled up the memo she had written, flipping through her scientific pontifications to the end where she had summarized it in layman's terms. The kill had been purposeful, clean, and brutal. It seemed, Sasuke added darkly in his mind, like the work of a contract killer. And then, there was of course the potential drug connection.

An unpleasant thought reared to life in his mind, not for the first time, and he pushed it away dismissively as he had before. But several minutes later, when the thought kept boomeranging back into his head, he stood and crossed to his desk, picking up the phone. After a moment's hesitation, he dialed the familiar number, regretting it the minute he heard the call pick up.

"Tsubaki Tea House, how many I help you?" A woman chirped into the phone.

"Itsumi," he said into the receiver, his voice dull.

"There's no one here by that name," the woman chirped back, "perhaps you have the wrong number—"

"Tell her Sasuke Uchiha is calling," Sasuke ground out. A minute later, he heard a click, and the soft whisper of a woman's voice.

"Well, Sasuke Uchiha, I never."

"Itsumi," he acknowledged, closing his eyes.

"The very same. How can Tsubaki help the great Uchiha Clan?" The woman purred, her voice tinkling with humor.

"A meeting," he said unfazed.

"Oh? We've never been worthy of your attentions before. Why the sudden change?"

"This phone line is not secure, Itsumi," he warned, clenching the receiver tightly.

"Oh alright you careful thing. Tonight then. Say, 9:00PM? I'll send a car to your office."

"I don't have time tonight, my evening is already full," Sasuke said, glancing at the wall he shared with Sakura.

"Find the time," the woman replied in a commanding lilt, "or I won't find time for you."

The phone went dead.

* * *

At 5:58, Sakura walked into the hallway, shifting her cloth tote bag onto one shoulder so she could lock up her office door. Tsunade had kept her insanely busy today with more deposition preparation, and she had barely had time to slip into her faded blue jeans and white t-shirt. Taking Sasuke's advice, she had also pulled on a pair of grey keds and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She had even put on make-up, which Ino insisted made her look older and less stuck up. Friendship. What would she do without it?

Sakura rounded the corner and knocked on Sasuke's door. It opened instantly, and she stepped back, surprised by the sudden movement.

Sasuke looked down at her with emotionless eyes, and her heart skipped so many beats she almost smacked her fist to her chest in an attempt to steady the rhythm. He was wearing black jeans and a grey t-shirt, the sleeves straining slightly at his biceps. She moved her gaze down his body, settling on his shoes, which were rough leather motorcycle boots she had no doubt cost a small fortune despite their worn appearance.

"Done?" He asked in a bored tone when she returned her eyes to his face. Caught in the act, she winced to herself.

"You're going to be hot," Sakura said to cover, turning to walk down the hall. She heard the shut of a door and then footsteps as he followed her down the largely empty floor. That, at least, was a welcome sight. She hadn't been able walk down a hallway all week without the heat of women's angry eyes boring into her back. If they only knew what a dick he was they wouldn't be so jealous, she sighed to herself.

The whispers and stares were one thing, but the interrogatories from Ino, Temari, and Shizune had been unbearable. Upon arriving home Saturday, Ino had made her recap the entire evening and morning down to the most minute detail. Ino, as Sakura expected, was now convinced Sasuke and her would eventually sleep together.

"He let me stay there out of pity," Sakura had tried to explain as she lay in bed, watching Ino pace in front of her like a general debating what strategy to take in the next attack.

"No man puts you into his bed unless he could visualize you there naked," Ino had replied, shaking her head at Sakura sadly like she was speaking to a moron.

"I concur," Sai said from the chair in the corner, nodding knowingly. Advice from Sai, Sakura mused. That was how twisted this whole thing had become.

Temari and Shizune had had similar reactions. Before she even made it into the building Monday morning they had grabbed her in the lobby, hauling her into a conference room to blast her with questions.

"How do you even know about this?" Sakura had exclaimed, panic setting in. The women shrugged.

"Everyone knows," Temari said simply. Of course they did, Sakura whimpered as she put her head into her hands.

"Did you really spend a quarter of a million dollars at the club?" Shizune asked excitedly. Sakura blanched. Surely they hadn't spent that much?

After retelling her story, pausing to give Temari a dirty look when Temari implied Sakura had purposefully lost her bag, the party lapsed into silence, considering the events of the weekend.

"Is Tsunade mad?" Sakura finally whispered to Shizune, growing a little concerned as the full weight of what had transpired began to settle onto her shoulders.

"I haven't seen her," Shizune said softly, "but I wouldn't worry too much."

When Sakura reached the elevator vestibule, she jabbed angrily at the down button. Wrong Shizune. Very wrong. Tsunade had not been pleased to learn there were rumors circulating the office that her student had slept with Sasuke Uchiha at a work event. Somehow, the fact Sakura had gone to Sasuke's place had been absorbed into a story about them having sex in the back of the club. Terrific.

To Sakura's relief, however, Tsunade had seemed willingly to let the whole thing go.

"Don't make this an HR nightmare, Sakura," Tsunade had said after berating her student for a solid five minutes for being, in her words, careless. "Mixing business and pleasure never ends well."

Oh, no risk there, Sakura thought miserably as she stepped into the elevator, selecting the ground floor. She was never—and she meant absolutely never—sleeping in Sasuke Uchiha's bed ever again.

The two rode the elevator down in silence, and when the doors binged open, she strode out, finally turning to address her partner.

"So," she said, "which name first?"

Sasuke reached into his back pocked and drew out a square of paper. He unfolded it and glanced down.

"Since the police largely interviewed neighborhood people, I don't think it matters. Let's just start at the top."

"Fine with me," she said, glancing at the printed list of addresses. "Suppose we should just start walking towards the store then."

Sasuke agreed with a curt nod, and they began to head east, not speaking. After a few blocks, to Sakura's immense surprise, Sasuke spoke.

"I was thinking more about the client's story. How are we going to explain the knife?" he said over the traffic.

"Planted," she offered.

"By whom?" Sasuke replied, dodging a pothole in the street as they crossed. "We're not getting that kid out unless we have a good, solid answer to that question."

"Well, we'll just have to find the answer then," Sakura said stiffly, wondering suddenly why they were walking. It was another ten blocks at least.

"Why are we walking?" She asked, looking at him. He returned the look, a smirk rising to his lips.

"Are you hot?" He mocked.

"I'm fine," Sakura said, looking away. "I just don't understand why we're walking the length of the city when you could have driven."

She heard Sasuke sigh.

"I'm going to hazard a guess and say you've never been to this part of town before. If we rolled up in my car, people would take one look and know we had money. Which means they're not going to talk to us. I supposed I could have called a car, yes, it's not that far Sakura."

"I know," she bit back, though the strap of her bag was beginning to pull painfully at her shoulder. She reached up, moving it to her other shoulder. Stupid men with their stupid pockets that let them hold all their things, Sakura thought pitifully.

"Is your bag too heavy?" Sasuke suddenly asked, eyeing her.

"No," she snapped, readjusting the strap in hopes it would relieve the pressure. Perhaps bringing the entire binder of the police interview notes from the investigation had been ill advised.

"Here," Sasuke said, reaching over and pulling the bag off of her shoulder.

"It's fine!" She said, reaching back, but he waived her hand away.

"I'll carry it," he said, turning back to the street. "It's another ten minutes at least." Sakura just blinked, her pace slowing slightly as she watched Sasuke walk with her bag. Maybe, she thought bitterly as she revved her pace back up, he felt bad about being an ass earlier this week in her office. Pride, she snorted in her head, recounting his words. He didn't get it at all. The pair continued in silence until they neared their target. They both slowed to take in the shabby corner store as it came into sight across the street.

"I thought it would be bigger," Sakura pondered, tilting her head slightly.

"The first address is over there," Sasuke said, pointing to a run down apartment building to their left across the street. And so began what Sakura started to feel was a great cosmic joke. For the next two hours, when Sakura and Sasuke knocked at each address, one of three things happened.

One, nobody would answer.

Two, somebody would answer, but inform them that the person they were looking for had moved.

Three, if the person they wanted _was_ still there and didn't immediately slam the door in their faces, they would have absolutely no idea what Sakura and Sasuke were talking about. A Tanaka kid? No idea. The storeowner? Yah, they remembered him. No, they didn't remember he had been brutally murdered in an alley. Had they spoken to the police? How strange, they didn't remember doing so.

After the tenth unsuccessful door, Sakura slunk onto a bus bench, running her hands through her slightly sweaty hair.

"I know it was a few years ago, but this cannot be a coincidence," she said exasperated, looking at Sasuke as he sat down next to her. "I do not believe for a second that every person the police questioned has conveniently forgotten their local store owner died a few feet from where they lived."

"No," Sasuke said in agreement, looking equally annoyed. "They remember. They're just afraid."

"Of what?" Sakura asked, reaching into the bag Sasuke had returned to her to grab her chapstick from the small internal pocket. She uncapped the little blue stick and rubbed the clear wax on her lips, before throwing it back into her bag with frustration.

"How the hell are we going to get anywhere in this case if no one will talk to us!" She exclaimed, looking at him as if the lack of cooperation were somehow his fault.

Sasuke leaned back on the dirty bench, extending his arm up over the side as he looked out at the quiet street. It was almost 8:30PM, and the crowds had noticeably thinned as the night crept in.

"We've handed out cards," he said quietly, his eyes still directed ahead as he watched the sun setting in the distance. "That's the best we can do. We can't make them talk to us," he added, looking down at her.

Sakura nodded unhappily, meeting his eyes.

"I suppose not. Is it always like this?" She asked him. He looked at her, nodding slowly.

"Investigations are a waiting game. You run down every lead you can, until you don't have any leads left. Then, you wait, and hope somebody is brave enough to speak up. We just need to be patient."

Patience—Sakura thought to herself—had never been her virtue.

"There are a few more names on the list," Sakura added hopefully, "should we try them?"

"No," Sasuke said, still looking at her. "Not tonight at least. It's getting late, and I have somewhere to be." He pulled out his phone and fiddled with it for a moment before tucking it back into his jeans pocket.

"A car will be here in five minutes. It's too far to walk in the dark," he said. Her heart pumped painfully. Where had she heard that before . . . .

As if in mutual realization, Sasuke looked at her and smirked.

"So, tell me Sakura," he said, shifting back to relax against the bench. "When did you order the caviar?"

Sakura tried not to grin, but she had always been rotten at hiding her feelings. Her small smile ripped open into an all out beam, and she laughed loudly into the quiet street.

"Oh god I forgot about that! Was Orochimaru furious?"

"Very. Luckily though you happened upon us before he ripped my throat open," Sasuke said, his voice low and playful.

"That's a relief," she gasped, breathing in deeply. "I didn't even get to try any of it either, what a waste."

"Try what?" He asked, still looking at her.

"The caviar!" Sakura said, rolling her eyes. He huffed in amusement, and she met his gaze. His eyes really were intense, she mused dreamily to herself.

A sharp honk came from the street and they jumped, turning to watch a car slowing to a stop in front of them. The moment broken, Sakura stood, shaking herself from her dangerous thoughts. Sasuke had no interest in her. She needed to get that through her head.

"Can we go back to the office? I want to drop this off," Sakura said, gesturing to the bag. Sasuke seemed to hesitate, but nodded, reaching to open the car door for her. As she had grown to expect from him, he waited until she was seated before shutting the door and walking to the other side of the car.

"That's fine, I need to head there anyway," Sasuke said as he climbed in and buckled his seatbelt. "But hurry home, it's getting late."

Sasuke instructed the driver, and the car sped off. Sakura watched Sasuke discreetly out of the corner of her eye. If he had been warm in his dark pants and shirt, he hadn't shown it. He looked so at ease as they rode, his attention directed out the window, watching the city as it faded into the dark.

When they pulled up to the office at about ten to nine, Sasuke paid the driver and climbed out, stretching. Sakura opened her own door and stood, turning to look at her colleague.

"Well, that was a bust," she said, shrugging.

"There will be other leads," Sasuke responded simply, walking to stand by her. "You should go put your bag away and head home before it gets too dark."

"Thanks dad," she scowled, turning on heel to enter the building. She buzzed herself up to her office and dumped her bag on her guest chair, deciding to leave her suit hanging on the back of the door as well. She was exhausted, and the idea of walking home carrying her purse and garment bag was an unappetizing prospect. Instead, she slipped her phone, keys, and wallet into her pockets, and returned to the elevator bank.

Once back on the ground level, she exited the building, waiving at the nighttime janitors who, unfortunately, knew her by name. She had to keep better hours, she thought tiredly as she pushed open the glass door to the front plaza.

To her surprise, Sasuke was still standing in the dark, his eyes directed on the street as though waiting for something. Waiting for her perhaps, she thought with a small jolt of hope before quashing the feeling like a bug. He's not interested, Sakura reminded herself for the second time that night.

"Well, goodnight," she called to him.

"Goodnight," he said quietly, eyes still directed on the street.

"Ok, then," Sakura mumbled, turning to leave. Her face collided with a strong, muscled chest, and she fell to the ground. Towering above her was a man the size of a refrigerator, his muscles bulging out of his tight black shirt. Next to him stood a much smaller man, whose face could only be described as weasel in nature.

"This way girly," the little man snarled with a thin grin cut across his bony face.

"She's not coming," Sasuke said as he sprinted over, helping Sakura stand. She righted herself, brushing gravel off her palms from where they had scraped against the pavement.

"What?" She asked confused, looking between Sasuke and the weasel.

"Nuh uh, pinkie here is coming too," the weasel said, his thin lips curling into a nasty smile.

"No. She. Isn't." Sasuke repeated slowly, his voice suddenly deep and icy cold. Sakura shuttered despite the warm air. She had never heard Sasuke speak that way.

"Listen, Uchiha," the man said, shifting his jacket just slightly. Sakura's eyes locked onto the gun holster strapped to his waistband. Who the hell were these people? "If I say she comes, she comes." The muscled man behind him crossed his arms threateningly, and Sakura took a hesitant step back at the same time Sasuke seemed to move forward, blocking her slightly with his wide shoulders.

"There's no reason to involve her," Sasuke said, his voice still low and edged with a dangerous flair.

"Get in the car," the man bit, pointing to the large black van that was parked behind him, "before somebody has a very, very bad night."

A long moment stretched, and the man suddenly jerked forward, grabbing one of Sakura's arms violently and pulling her to him.

"Let go!" Sakura cried, kneeing him as hard as she could in the stomach. Her knee collided with his thin frame, and the man let go with a puff of air, falling to the pavement in obvious pain. Before she could enjoy her victory, she felt a large hand grabbing her roughly at her waist and lifting her into the air.

"Sakura," Sasuke shouted, moving quickly towards her. He stopped cold as a gun was quietly raised in front of his chest. The large man stared at Sasuke, and cocked the gun.

"Get in the car." He repeated, slowly. Sakura's heart pounded in her ears, and she breathed heavily, her terrified eyes strained on the gun. Run you idiot, she thought savagely. Just run!

"She doesn't have anything to do with this," Sasuke tried again, his hands raised defensively. Why wasn't he running!

"I don't give a shit. We're bringing her as insurance, and I would highly recommend you get her to behave," the man said, looking down at the woman in question. Sakura stayed perfectly still, her eyes fixed on Sasuke. He didn't say anything, just stared at her a long moment, as if running through in his mind every eventuality. She could see his brilliant mind working, until it seemed to slow, and he gave her a very small, reassuring smile.

"Let her go," he said finally, his voice still low, though the edge significantly dulled. "We'll cooperate."

"Keep your pet on its leash," the man said as he tossed Sakura back to Sasuke. He caught her and circled his arms around her back, pulling her into him tightly.

"Just do what I say. It'll be alright," he whispered quickly into her hair, before he pulled her around so she was pressed against him, but able to walk. She clasped her hands into his t-shirt, panic rising in her despite Sasuke's calm words. It wasn't every day you were kidnapped.

The man jabbed the gun at them in a gesture to walk, and Sasuke began to move, coaxing Sakura to walk with him. The weasel on the ground had clearly regained his breath and was struggling up, cursing angrily as he looked at Sakura. She swallowed hard, and felt Sasuke's hand tighten around her just a little. When they reached the van, the muscled man pulled open the door, and they climbed inside.

* * *

Author Note:

Was that too much? I couldn't tell. Either way, things are heating up!

And to the guest reviewer who asked if I was from Detroit, I am not, though I do live in a major city in the States. I can understand why you were thinking that though based on how I described downtown Konoha last chapter!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

* * *

Needless to say, Sakura had had more pleasant car rides. When they first climbed into the van—climbed being a generous verb considering the gun at their backs—Sakura had tried to whisper frantic questions to Sasuke. But he had shaken his head, indicating wordlessly that now was not the time. What the right time might be was completely lost to her, but when it was clear he wasn't going to answer her questions, she shut her mouth and sat there in silence, rubbing her sore wrists and wondering absently whether or not this was the night she died. Dying with Sasuke Uchiha. Who would have thought?

It bothered her how calm he was. Sasuke was clearly irritated, and perhaps a little angry. But he wasn't scared. To the contrary, he seemed almost . . . resigned. As though men wielding weapons was a normal occurrence in his existence. They had been forced into an unmarked van in the middle of the night at gunpoint for god's sake, but there he sat, staring straight ahead as though waiting for the flight attendant to bring him a drink.

Sakura frowned as she recalled what he had said. _She doesn't have anything to do with this_. To do with _what_?

Sakura shifted, searching the van fruitlessly for some clue as to who these men were and what they wanted. The van's windows were blacked out, making it impossible to see where they were going, but Sakura could tell they hadn't left the city. The ride was too jerky, as if they were stopping every few blocks for a light. The men had confiscated their phones too, so there was nothing to do but try to concentrate on the sounds of street outside.

After what felt like an hour of sharp turns and rapid starts, the van came to a sudden stop, causing Sakura to smack forward into the divider wall that separated the back passengers from the driver. The van didn't have seat belts.

"Ow," she muttered angrily as she straightened.

"You're fine," Sasuke said quietly as he turned towards the van door, waiting expectantly for it open. After a moment, the door rumbled back on its wheels, and Sakura squinted as bright light hit her eyes.

"Out," a voice boomed. Before she could process the command, Sasuke grabbed her hand and pulled her with him out of the car. He helped her down the van step, but dropped her arm the moment her feet touched concrete. Sakura glanced around. They appeared to be in an underground garage, which surprised her. It hadn't felt like the van had gone down an incline. Harsh florescent light illuminated the windowless room, and she could just see an elevator behind the three men who stood before them. Each wore an identical look of trained discipline, and she noticed uneasily that they were either holding a gun, or had a hand on their waistband as if ready to draw.

Sakura jumped at the sound of a slamming door, and she felt Sasuke shift just a little bit closer. In spite of herself, she scooted into his warmth. Better the devil you knew than the devil you didn't after all.

The weasel-faced man rounded the corner of the van, followed by his giant partner, and shot her a nasty look as he limped towards the elevator.

"Search them before you go to the boss," he spat angrily over his shoulder as he went. "And watch out for the bitch. She bites."

Despite the cold fear that had pooled in the pit of her stomach, Sakura smiled viciously. His shirt was stained with dark brown blood. He must have smacked his head on the way down. Served him right.

One of the gun slinging men stepped forward and pushed Sasuke against the van roughly, patting him down with quick, precise movements. Sasuke stood perfectly still, hands raised against the door, eyes straight ahead. He didn't fight him, though Sakura could tell from Sasuke's tight-lipped frown he was less than pleased.

Satisfied, the man let Sasuke go and pushed Sakura against the metal door with equally rough hands. As he patted her, she felt hands linger on her ass, cupping her firmly before letting go.

"Boss won't like that," another man called as the goon turned her to face him, his hands grazing her sides purposefully.

"Pig," she ground out between her teeth.

"Sorry miss. Security reasons," he grinned. He gave her side one more squeeze before letting go, glancing back to his comrades with a smirk.

"She's clean."

Sakura glowered as he walked away, still feeling his unwelcome touch against her backside. She glanced at Sasuke, who met her eyes. He looked at her, his eyes flickering dangerously. Well, at least he now seemed as pissed as she was.

"Follow me," another man grunted, gesturing for them to walk. Sasuke ignored him, still looking at her, his eyes seeming to ask whether she was ok. She nodded tightly, and he gave her a small tilt of his head.

"Stay close," he said under his breath as he began to walk forward. No arguments there, she thought as she followed after him, her eyes trained on Sasuke's wide back.

She could hear footsteps behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder for a quick peak, pausing when she realized the large man who had forced them into the van was coming with. She twisted her head back quickly. He wouldn't go down as easily as his comrade had.

When they reached what Sakura had thought was a plain cement wall, she realized there was the faintest outline of a door in the cement. The man behind them reached into his pocket, withdrew a walkie-talkie, and barked into it. After a moment, the cement seemed to shift, gliding open like a pocket door. A dark hallway lay beyond, eerily illuminated with red light. As she stared into the darkness, Sakura could feel a new surge of adrenaline hit her system. Her mouth tasted like pennies.

"Sasuke," she whispered, trying to speak so only he could hear. "We can't go in there. I think they're going to kill us."

"They won't kill us," Sasuke sighed, as though her _completely_ rational thought was ridiculous.

"You don't know that," she hissed back, panic starting to set in. Why was he being so nonchalant about this? They had been fucking kidnapped!

"Nobody knows where we are, they have guns—"

"Sakura," Sasuke interrupted, turning to look at her squarely. "We're going to be fine. Trust me. Just, trust me. OK?" When she didn't respond immediately, Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, looked at her as if he was really just processing how upset she was. "It's not as if you have a choice," he said, his voice slightly softer.

This, she thought darkly, was true.

"Tell me what is going on," she implored.

"I will. Later," he said quietly, holding her stare. They looked at each other until she heard the man behind them shift.

"Get a move on you two. The boss is waiting."

Sasuke glanced at the man and then back to Sakura, his eyes seeming to ask whether she was ready.

"After you," Sakura sighed, resigned to her fate. Sasuke gave her a very, very small smile. He was probably trying to be reassuring, but it had the opposite effect. Sasuke smiling. They really were about to die weren't they?

Sasuke walked into the windowless hallway, and she followed, keeping close. They continued down the straight passage until eventually they reached an innocuous looking wooden door. The man behind them lumbered forward and swiped a key card on a small black pad on the wall, causing the door to swing open with a hard beep. It led into a windowless vestibule, where another man sat at a desk. He nodded to the large man, who nodded back. They weren't big on words here, Sakura pondered as she looked for an escape. There were only three doors, and all three were soundly closed.

The seated man picked up a phone, hit a button, and spoke into the receiver.

"They're here boss. Should I let them in?" He seemed to listen for a moment and then replaced the receiver before standing.

He walked to one of the doors, opened it, and bowed slightly.

"She's expecting you."

She? Sasuke walked forward, ignoring the man. After debating for the last time whether she should make a dash to one of the other doors, Sakura followed after him.

When Sakura stepped into the next room, her face twisted in surprise. Where the hell were they? Where before they had been in a windowless, concrete garage, they were suddenly in a richly furnished living room with ceiling high windows and dangling crystal chandeliers. The floor, which was a dark red wood, was covered with a Persian rug so large Sakura was certain it could have covered her entire apartment and then some. A dining table large enough to seat twenty stretched a top it, as well as two, black leather couches with a glass coffee table sitting prettily between them. Art hung heavily on the wood paneled walls, and Sakura did a double take at a large portrait of a naked woman. She could have sworn she had seen that same painting the Konoha Museum of Modern Art.

Most surprising though was the achingly beautiful woman seated in front of a wide desk in a high backed armchair.

She looked about Tsunade's age, maybe older, but where Tsunade religiously dyed her blonde hair to keep up a youthful appearance, this woman had clearly embraced her age. Her black hair was streaked with grey and twisted into a chignon, creating an air of elegance that made Sakura suddenly very aware of her wrinkled t-shirt and scuffed shoes. Large brown eyes dominated the woman's handsome face, and her fair skin was stretched taught across high cheekbones. Clearly she moisturized. Her perfection was marred only by the faintest hint of a small, curved scar just above her right temple. She looked like a villain in a spy movie. Or perhaps the editor of Vogue.

When the woman caught sight of them, her red painted lips curved into a smile, and she took a measured sip from a glass of red wine perched in her ring-clad hand.

"Sasuke," she said, her voice dripping like warm honey. Sakura sucked in a surprised breath. He knew her?

"Itsumi," Sasuke responded curtly, dipping his head in what Sakura realized with a start was his attempt at a respectful bow. She had never seen Sasuke acknowledge anyone before like that. Itsumi . . . where had she heard that name before?

"Sasuke dear," the woman continued, her eyes regarding Sakura curiously, "who is this?"

"No one," Sasuke said. Sakura frowned. That seemed a little harsh.

"She was with Uchiha when we picked him up," said a voice from behind her. She turned, watching as the large man walked to stand to the side of the desk.

"Oh," Itsumi said in a bored voice, swirling her glass in her hand. "I don't recall telling you to bring a guest, Sasuke."

"I didn't," Sasuke replied calmly, stuffing his hands into his pockets as though this was any other boring conversation. "Your idiot men brought her with."

Itsumi regarded Sakura, her head titling as she considered Sakura's form.

"She's a rather pretty no one, isn't she?" Itsumi said finally. "I suppose though all young women are in their own way. The gift of youth is rather generous in that regard. Why is the girl here?" She asked her man, raising her almost empty glass for him to take it.

"Yuki wanted to bring her as insurance in case Uchiha got any ideas," the man said quickly, taking the glass from her with a low bow. "Considering last time and all."

What happened last time? Sakura thought, tucking the question away into her ever-growing what-the-hell-is-going-on-Sasuke list.

"Did he now? And where is Yuki?"

"Cleaning himself up," the man said quietly, not meeting her eyes.

"Cleaning himself up?" Itsumi mused, narrowing her eyes at her man. When he didn't say anything, she frowned.

"Well?"

"She, uh, hit him," he offered, glancing at Sakura. Itsumi's eyes widened and she twisted to look at Sakura, her crimson lips spreading wide to reveal perfectly straight teeth.

"Pretty _and_ brave, how delightful. My, my, Sasuke, what a woman you've found."

"She's not my woman," Sasuke said as Sakura echoed, "I'm not his woman."

Itsumi's smile widened.

"Of course you're not dear," she cooed, raising a perfectly waxed eyebrow at Sakura.

Itsumi stood then, and Sakura resisted the urge to step back at the quick movement. She was used to powerful women. She worked closely with Tsunade after all. But this woman was disturbingly predatory. It set her teeth on edge.

When Itsumi came around her desk, Sakura couldn't help the sharp breath of surprise that escaped her when she noticed Itsumi walked with a cane. It was black with a silver tipped handle, and it was so out of place in the hands of this glamorous, terrifying woman that it made Sakura instantly uncomfortable. Which was to say _even more_ uncomfortable than the woman already made her.

Sakura watched nervously as Itsumi limped forward, astonishingly graceful given the impediment. When she reached them, Itsumi stopped mere inches from Sakura, looking down at her with openly curious eyes. She was much taller than Sakura, closer to Sasuke's height, though still shorter by about half an inch. She wore a crisp black pants suit, and Sakura noted a gold brooch in the shape of a camellia flower was pinned to her lapel. Up close, Sakura could also see a pair of heavy ruby studs in her ears. They looked terribly expensive.

"What's your name brave girl?" Itsumi asked smoothly, bringing her cane in front of her so as to lean on it as she studied Sakura's face.

"You don't need to know—"

"I wasn't addressing you," Itsumi quipped, silencing Sasuke with a sharp look. He frowned, but held his tongue.

When Sakura didn't answer, Itsumi reached for her with a slightly wrinkled hand. She took Sakura's chin, stroking a cheek with her thumb. Sakura shivered at the scrape of a long, unpolished nail against her skin.

"Tell me your name," Itsumi repeated, her voice low and commanding, though not necessarily unkind. As she stroked Sakura's cheek, Sakura felt her body begin to go limp as all the pent up anxiety and panic from the evening seeped out of her.

"It's Sakura," she admitted, her voice sounding hoarse. She considered lying, but honestly, what was the point? She could figure it out easily enough. Sakura's name and photo were on the firm website after all.

"Sakura? How . . . apt," Itsumi murmured, studying her face intently. "And how do you know Sasuke dear?"

Although Sakura could feel Sasuke's discomfort, she couldn't help herself from answering.

"We work together."

"Are you an attorney then?"

"Yes."

"Pretty, brave, and smart. The trifecta," Itsumi purred, finally letting go Sakura's face. As her warm hand came way, Sakura shivered. The contact had felt disturbingly intimate.

"Sakura is a lovely name. I'm rather fond of flowers," Itsumi continued, looking to Sasuke. His jaw quirked, but he didn't speak. "My family name is Tsubaki, after all."

Sakura's eyes widened.

"As in Tsubaki Teahouse?" She asked, unable to help herself. That was where she had heard the name! Itsumi Tsubaki! Hadn't she read an article about her in The Konoha Times last year? Something to do with keeping tea ceremonies alive—and profitable—in the modern age?

"Indeed. Are you fond of tea Sakura?" Itsumi asked, her eyes still trained on Sasuke, seemingly watching him for some reaction.

"She prefers coffee," Sasuke answered for her harshly.

"Oh?" Itsumi said, not looking away. "A shame. Every young woman should know the art of serving tea. Well, now that we're introduced, shall we get to business Sasuke dear?"

"Itsumi, I would prefer Sakura wait outside," Sasuke said coldly, his eyes never leaving Itsumi's face. Sakura looked at him in surprise.

"What? No," she whispered to him frantically. Though Itsumi was unsettling, the prospect of going back into that creepy hallway or to the garage with those men and their creeping hands was infinitely more terrifying. "I'm fine here," she added.

Sasuke looked at her then, his eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"I won't be long," Sasuke said, "just wait for me."

"No," Sakura repeated, her voice rising.

"Sakura, don't be a child."

"You're the one acting like a child," Sakura spit back.

After a long minute, during which Sakura could tell he was seriously displeased, Sasuke shifted, turning to look at Itsumi.

"Remove her," he said simply. Sakura opened her mouth to retort, but closed it when Itsumi raised a hand to her.

"Oh, I couldn't do that," she said sweetly, smiling as though enjoying some inside joke.

"Itsumi—"

"I won't force her when she is so clearly opposed to the idea. It would be terribly rude of me, and I treat my guests better than that. Besides, I rather like her spirit," Itsumi mused, locking Sakura with inquisitive eyes. "She fits right in."

"She does _not_ fit in," Sasuke replied, his voice hard and low.

"Oh, but she might with the right guidance," Itsumi said, equally seriously, her voice heavy with some unspoken meaning completely lost to Sakura. What the hell were they talking about? Sakura looked to Sasuke, jumping a little when she realized he was staring at her, his mouth clenched in a hard line. She could tell he was thinking, as though weighing something. Eventually, he jerked his head back to Itsumi.

"Fine."

Itsumi smiled and tapped her cane against the ground.

"It's settled then. Sakura, darling, come sit." Itsumi turned to walk, making her way to the low backed couches. When she sunk into the leather, she arranged herself artfully on the cushion, and looked to them expectantly.

"Sit," she instructed, gesturing to the couch in front of her.

Slowly, Sasuke walked across the plush rug to take a seat across from Itsumi. He looked at Sakura, and after a moment's pause, she walked to join him, seating herself stiffly about a foot away from him.

"Much better," Itsumi smiled as she regarded them, a hand perched on her cane. "Now, Sasuke, tell me why you called."

Sakura looked at him sharply. _He_ had called _her_? Without a beat, Sasuke spoke.

"I need information," he said evenly, eyes directed forward, pointedly ignoring Sakura.

"Obviously. But what do you want to know?"

"The Gatō Company, is it still active in Konoha?"

Sakura's jaw about fell to the floor in astonishment.

"Why ever do you want to know about those bumbling fools," Itsumi said, her voice equally surprised. I can answer that one, Sakura thought harshly, though she stayed quiet. Sasuke shifted, holding his hands together stiffly in front of him.

"It's for a case. Five years ago, a storeowner was killed in an alley. I have reason to believe the Gatō Company was using the store parking lot for low level transactions."

"Transactions? What a silly word for that mess. If you're going to play with the adults Sasuke use adult language. Regardless, I'm unaware of the inner workings of the Gatō Company," she sniffed, waiving her cane slightly. "Yes, Gatō is still active, though most organizations, mine included, refuse to deal with him anymore. He drew far too much attention to his company. It was poorly done. Poorly done indeed."

Sasuke nodded, his jaw hardened as he considered her information.

"And the death?"

"Hmmm," she sighed, "five years ago you say? As you know that was a particularly . . . difficult time for all of us. The new order was being established, no thanks to your family of course. I have no specific recollection of a death at a store during that time." Sasuke looked down at his clasped hands, studying them, before glancing at Sakura. As quickly as he looked though, he looked back at Itsumi.

"Will you make your normal inquiries? Be discrete."

"Don't offend me Sasuke," Itsumi snipped, eyeing him as though he had just insulted her favorite child. "Discretion is my trade."

"No offense was meant," Sasuke said coolly. "But the instruction stands."

"Does it?" She said dangerously, her lips pursed. When he didn't response, Itsumi leaned forward, eyeing Sasuke as a cat considers its prey.

"This will, of course, cost you."

"I assumed it would. Find out whether Gatō Company was connected to this store, and any other information you might think helpful. Then, we can discuss price."

Itsumi tsked softly.

"No, no naughty boy, that's not how it works. Payment upfront."

"How much do you want?"

"Oh, I don't want money," Itsumi said. "An invitation to your firm's little event next month will do."

"The ball?" Sakura asked, confused. They glanced at her then, almost as if remembering she was still there.

"Yes, Sakura," Itsumi purred, "the ball. My invitation seemed to have been lost in the mail as it were."

"That's all you want?" Sasuke asked warily, directing his gaze back to her. "An invitation?"

"Yes," Itsumi said, raising her shoulders in a shrug. "I'm a simple woman Sasuke, would you deny me the opportunity to attend Konoha's most exciting social event?"

"One invitation."

"Ten."

"One."

"Five."

"One."

"Oh don't be a bore! Two. At least give me a date Sasuke, I'm old not dead!"

"Fine. Two."

Itsumi threw her head back at that and laughed. It made the hair on Sakura's neck stand straight up.

"Your brother drove a hard bargain too," Itsumi smiled, looking at him. "It's so nice to be dealing with the Uchihas again."

"I am not dealing—"

"Oh, you are Sasuke. You, like Itachi, are your father's son. And whether you want to admit it or not, you are a part of this world."

"We will have to agree to disagree on that Itsumi," Sasuke ground out, standing, his back ramrod straight. "We're going," he added, his voice polite but firm.

Thank god, Sakura thought, relief flooding her system. She made to stand but stopped when Itsumi spoke directly to her, pinning her to her seat with her name.

"Sakura, I'm sure Sasuke will press this upon you as well. But for the sake of completeness, remember this. _You_ were never here. _We_ have never met. And if I hear anything to the contrary, _you_ will find yourself a _very_ unhappy young woman. No matter how delightful I find you."

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but closed it. What did one say to that? I'll keep my mouth shut? Screw you crazy lady I'm going straight to the police? Instead, she just nodded.

"Good girl," Itsumi said quietly, looking to Sasuke. "Sasuke, I rather like your little cherry blossom. I insist you bring her again."

"I don't think that is necessary."

"Oh, I think it's very necessary."

Sasuke didn't answer. Instead, Sakura felt his hand on her arm, and she looked up, allowing Sasuke to pull her to stand next to him. He avoided Sakura's eyes but held her elbow tightly as he regarded Itsumi.

"Thank you, Itsumi, for your company and your assistance. We will be going now."

Itsumi leaned back, still smiling.

"I'll have my boys give you a ride. It's the least I can do," she added.

"Most generous," Sasuke responded stiffly, turning to lead Sakura out of the room.

"Good bye Sasuke. Oh, and Sakura dear," Itsumi called after them as they walked, "I'll see you again soon."

* * *

Another van ride later, during which Sasuke continued to silently hold Sakura's elbow in an almost painful grasp, they were deposited back in front of the office, their phones haphazardly tossed to them.

The minute their feet touched cement, the van door slid close, and the vehicle peeled off, screeching quickly around a corner until it was out of sight. Sakura stared after it, feeling the weight around her heart begin to lift every second the van stayed out of sight. When it was clearly gone, she sighed heavily. They were back. They were ok. Nobody was dead.

No thanks to Sasuke, she thought crossly as she turned to face him, feeling indigent rage rising in her. He had better start explaining himself. When she met his gaze though, she felt the angry bubble in her chest freeze, and then slowly deflate. He looked exhausted.

"You ok?" She heard herself ask quietly. Which was ridiculous, because really, _he_ should be asking her that.

"Not really," he stated, sounding surprised at his own admission.

Well, that wasn't the response she had been expecting. She rocked back on her heels, biting her lip as she debated how best to proceed.

"Sasuke," she began, stumbling for words, "are you, um, hungry?"

"Am I, what?" He said, sounding annoyed.

"Hungry, Sasuke. I haven't had anything to eat since lunch. Let's . . . get something to eat, ok, and then we can talk." He regarded her for a while, before letting his features shift into a small smirk.

"Before you start berating me with questions you mean?"

"I'm not going to berate you," Sakura lied, crossing her arms.

"Uh huh," Sasuke said, glancing at her skeptically. "Chinese food ok?"

It was more than ok, Sakura thought happily, though she kept her face drawn. No need for him to know that.

"Get fried rice," Sakura instructed severely, watching him reach for his newly returned phone and dial a number from memory. Impressive.

Sasuke ordered, shushing Sakura when she shouted into the phone about making that _two_ orders of egg rolls. He moved away from her, giving her a death stare as he instructed the person on the other end that yes, that would be two orders, don't mind the screaming woman.

He provided the office address for the delivery location and hung up, muttering something about manners as he stuffed his phone into his pant pocket.

"It'll be twenty minutes or so," he said, glancing at her. "I'll wait down here if you want to head up to my office. We can . . . talk there."

"Maybe I want to talk in my office," she said, just to be difficult.

"Fine, Sakura, I don't care, just go," Sasuke sighed, rubbing his eyes. Sakura frowned. He really was tired, wasn't he?

"I'll head up, then," she said, softly this time. When he didn't respond, she turned on heel, slipping her badge out of her pocket and letting herself into the building. She rode up the elevator, trying to construct a game plan.

Where did she even start? Sasuke, mind telling me why we were kidnapped tonight? And how do you know Itsumi Tsubaki, and why were you asking her about our case, and what was with the goddamn guns?

When the elevator deposited her onto their floor, Sakura began to walk towards their offices, but stopped. She twisted around, striding instead to Tsunade's office. If there was ever a time to break into Tsunade's liquor cabinet, tonight was it.

Ten minutes later, Tsunade's largest bottle of expensive scotch in hand, Sakura entered Sasuke's office. It was freezing. She had little doubt a man controlled the A/C settings in here.

Sakura deposited the heavy glass bottle on the coffee table and turned to flick on the lamp at his desk. For some reason, she didn't want the overhead fluorescents on. The thought of the bright light just seemed wrong. Sakura walked out of the office, strolling leisurely down the hall to the kitchen for two glasses and a stack of napkins.

When she returned, she took a seat on the couch and poured two large glasses of the liquor. She immediately drained a third of hers, shuttering at the hard taste. It did the trick though. She warmed instantly. Who needed a sweatshirt when you had scotch? Sakura took another generous sip before leaning back, trying to get comfortable.

After shifting several times, she gave up and slipped off her shoes so she could raise her feet under her body. She didn't really care at this particular moment whether Sasuke would mind her sitting crisscross applesauce on his high-end couch.

Sakura sat in the amber glow of the lamplight waiting for Sasuke, turning tonight's events over in her mind. What the hell had Sasuke gotten himself mixed up in?

As she mused, she heard footsteps in the hall, and tensed. Sasuke appeared, holding a brown paper bag flecked with grease, and she closed her eyes briefly. It was just Sasuke. Nothing to get spooked about.

He placed the bag in front of her and opened it, pulling out several containers and a handful of chopsticks. Clearly the restaurant thought they had been ordering for a family of five.

Sasuke offered her a white box and she took it, popping the top and smiling when the familiar scent of fried rice hit her nose. Heavenly. She took the chopsticks Sasuke handed her and shoved a large bite into her mouth, feeling instantly better as the warm food made its way into her empty stomach. She really had been hungry.

Sasuke sat across from her and to her surprise, kicked off his own shoes before reaching for a box of what looked to be General Tso's Chicken. He began to eat, and she followed his example. After they had made a sizable dent in the foot, Sasuke seemed to notice the glass.

"Where'd that come from?" He asked, reaching for the booze.

"Donation from Tsunade," Sakura shrugged.

"How generous. That's an expensive bottle," Sasuke said before promptly emptying his glass in one gigantic gulp. Sakura blinked at him.

"More?"

He nodded, and she reached for the bottle, refilling his glass.

"Maybe sip that one," she joked weakly. He looked at her, took a much smaller drink, and held the glass, staring at her for what felt like ages.

"Are you hurt?" He finally asked. The question surprised her.

"No, I'm not hurt."

"Those men shouldn't have put their hands on you."

"No. They shouldn't have. But it's over now," she said quietly, picking up her own glass. "It _is_ over now, isn't it?"

"Yes. And no. Itsumi is a powerful person. I'm not sure you can ignore the connection now. If she wants to see you, she'll see you."

"How do you know her Sasuke? And why does the owner of a fucking tea restaurant surround herself with armed guards?"

Sasuke smirked and took another sip, leaning back in his chair and stretching out his legs. He looked almost relaxed now, though she didn't miss the way he kept glancing towards his closed office door. Still a bit jumpy then. Same as her.

He didn't answer right away, and she didn't press him. But eventually, he spoke.

"There are," he began slowly, taking another drink, "several families in Konoha that run reputable businesses. Families like your friend Ino's, or Hinata's for that matter. But there are other families that run less than reputable organizations. They have public fronts of course, because they have to wash the money somewhere. But their real business isn't strictly legal."

"What? Like the mob?" Sakura laughed softly.

"Exactly like the mob," Sasuke answered evenly.

"Oh."

Sakura looked at him, and he stared back, his eyes unblinking, almost as if he was waiting for her to break into tears or storm out. When she didn't, he continued.

"My father, and his father before him, represented many of these organizations. Simply put, Itsumi was one his clients."

"So, what? She's a drug dealer?"

"No," Sasuke said, shaking his head. "Itsumi is far more dangerous than a simple drug dealer. She's a power broke. She deals in secrets."

"And that's why you called her? Because you wanted to find information out about our case?"

"Yes," Sasuke sighed, emptying his second glass. He reached for the bottle and poured a third. "I figured if anyone would know something about the Gatō Company, it would be Itsumi. It was, in hindsight, a mistake."

Sakura watched as he sloshed the liquid around in his glass before taking another hearty drink. Jesus. Did he always drink like this?

"Why are you telling me this?" Sakura asked, staring at him as he turned the glass around in his hand.

"I don't know," he said, sounding genuinely unsure. "When Itsumi has an update though, she'll want to see us again, and the more you hear, the more dangerous it becomes. If you have to hold these secrets, you might as well understand what I've dragged you into. Besides, you're smart. You would have put it together eventually."

She blushed at the compliment. He thought she was smart? When had he had that revilation?

"But Sakura," Sasuke continued, "she wasn't joking. If you talk to anyone about this, she will find out. And if she finds out, she won't be pleased."

It dawned on Sakura then what Sasuke was saying.

"You mean, she'll hurt me?" She asked meekly.

"Probably not," he responded, taking another drink. "She wouldn't want to draw attention to herself. You have important friends in this town after all. But if she viewed you as a threat, she might."

Sakura just gaped at him. How could he be so . . . calm about all of this?

"Sasuke, that, that is insane," she breathed.

"Welcome to my world," he muttered, reaching for the bottle and topping off her glass. "Drink, you'll feel better."

Sakura did not feel that was necessarily true, but she took the glass anyway and took a sip.

"More," he instructed, and she tipped it back, coughing as she downed the rest of it.

"Better," he praised, putting down the bottle.

"What about your brother?" Sakura asked, putting her glass down as well.

"What," Sasuke snapped, his stare suddenly angry and alert. Sakura paled.

"She just, um, mentioned that your brother used to—"

"I've told you enough for one night Sakura," he said, his voice hard. Sakura closed her eyes. Had to put her foot in it, didn't she.

"That's fine, Sasuke, I'm sorry I asked."

They didn't speak then for a long while. They just drank, and Sakura focused on the growing warmth in her gut as the alcohol took effect. Finally, she looked at him, and tried again.

"Sasuke, what do we now?"

"We wait until Itsumi decides she wants us. And in the meantime, we keep working the case. Unless you want out, that is. If you're scared, I understand."

Sakura frowned.

"I am scared, Sasuke. I would be stupid not to be. You just told me we spent the evening with a woman who is capable of violence. But . . . there's still a kid in prison who doesn't belong there."

"Potentially," Sasuke mused, finishing what Sakura counted as his fifth glass. Maybe it was time to put away the liquor.

"Are _you_ scared?" She asked, her hand moving forward to claim the bottle and pull it closer to her and away from him.

"Always," he said quietly, looking at her with weary eyes. Sakura's heart thudded. After a stretch, he grinned wickedly. "Psyche."

"You are the worst," she muttered, reaching for a fortune cookie on the table and throwing it at him. He caught it, impressive considering she was fairly certain he would be unable to walk straight. He ripped open the plastic and cracked the cookie, withdrawing the white paper folded inside.

"You will have a pleasant surprise," he read out loud.

"In bed," Sakura added absently as she reached for her own cookie.

"What?" Sasuke asked, whipping his head up, his eyes bright with mirth. Sakura felt her cheeks flush red.

"Oh um, you've never played that game before? You just add the phrase 'in bed' to the end of your fortune. Ino and I always do it . . ." she trailed off, staring at him with wide eyes, realizing she sounded like an idiot.

"Not really a game, is it?" Sasuke said, tossing the uneaten cookie into the paper bag and glancing down at his fortune one more time before throwing it away as well.

"I guess not," she murmured, cracking open her own treat.

"It never pays to kick a skunk," she read, her voice faltering.

"Doesn't really work with that one, does it?" Sasuke asked mockingly, titling his head to look at her.

"No, no it does not," she said, scowling at her fortune. "It's not really a fortune either."

"It's good advice though," he offered.

"Yah," Sakura said, suddenly feeling very, very tired. "Listen, Sasuke, I'm going home. We've had a long night and I'm . . . I'm exhausted."

"Of course," he said, standing slowly. She started to clean up the mess, but Sasuke waived her off.

"It'll still be here tomorrow, just leave it. I'll walk you home."

"I'm not sure you should be walking anywhere," she said dryly, watching as he stuffed his feet back into his boots.

"Just put on your shoes Haruno," he said as he righted himself. "You have the most ridiculous shoes," he added, seemingly to himself.

Sakura looked down at her boring grey keds. They weren't ridiculous. She tugged them on and laced them up before standing. When she looked up she found Sasuke watching her intently, his eyes lingering on hers.

"What?" She asked, checking her pockets to make sure she had everything she needed. She was not about to repeat last weekend.

"Nothing," he murmured softly. He turned then, opening the door, and strolled out, hands pushed into his pockets. She followed him, closing the door behind her, and walked to the elevator with him in silence.

"My apartment isn't far," she offered when they reached the vestibule and called a down car. "You don't need to walk me."

"I'm going to," he said simply. Well. All right then.

When they exited the building, Sakura paused at the doors, looking out at the plaza where only a few hours earlier a man had aimed a gun at them. Sasuke glanced at her.

"Come on," he said quietly, tilting his head in a silent beckon. She let out a breath and followed, impressed he was strolling in the right direction. The man could hold his drink. They walked in silence for several blocks, Sakura giving Sasuke small glances every few minutes, but he was staring resolutely ahead.

As they neared her apartment, she pulled her keys out of her pocket, preparing to let herself in as quickly as possible so as to limit to awkward moment where she would no doubt thank him for walking her home, and he would no doubt respond with a "hn" before strolling away.

When they reached her building, she began her line.

"Thanks for walking me home Sasuke," she said simply, turning to unlock the front door. To her surprise though, he spoke.

"You're welcome. Although, you're right, you probably would have been fine on your own. You did, after all, beat the shit out of that idiot earlier."

Sakura looked at him in astonishment. He was grinning, and she couldn't help but grin back.

"He _was_ a little shit, wasn't he?" She asked, studying his face. Sasuke nodded with a smirk, and he leaned forward, putting a hand on the door, trapping her between his body and the wall.

"Don't do it again," he said very quietly, looking at her face, though his eyes didn't quite meet her own.

"What do you mean?" She murmured, watching him watch her.

"Be brave like that," he said, locking his eyes with hers. They didn't speak, just stared at each other, the night seeming to fall away until all she could hear was their breathing in the darkness.

"You're drunk, Sasuke," she said finally, her voice barely a whisper.

"So?" He said softly back. "I had a bad night."

She smiled, and he smiled too, his body inching just a little bit closer. He was so close she could smell the scotch on his breath, and god, she liked it.

"Thank you," Sakura tried as she looked at him, willing herself to stay focused on anything other than his warm, hard body mere inches from her own.

"For what?" Sasuke muttered, and she suddenly felt his hand, the one not leaning against the door, moving a stray hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear.

"For telling me about your family. For . . . trusting me," she offered, shuttering a little at his touch.

"You shouldn't be thanking me," he said seriously, closing his eyes for a moment before looking at her again.

"But I am," she said firmly. "Even if you don't want to hear it."

"You're a very confusing woman, Sakura Haruno," he murmured.

She didn't respond, just focused on his lips, which she could have sworn were moving closer, and closer, until she was certain he was about to dip his head and—

"Goodnight, Sakura," Sasuke said suddenly, leaning back and turning away from her. The loss of his body heat was instantaneous, and she stood there, frozen, her body pressed against the wall for support.

"Goodnight, Sasuke," she breathed, watching him as he strode into the darkness, further and further away. The moment he was safely out of sight, she dropped to the ground.

* * *

Author Note:

I'm telling you, that Sasuke is a tease.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

* * *

It took everything he had not to stare at her as they walked. Not because she looked particularly attractive in the moonlight, though her looks were—he had to admit—growing on him. Itsumi wasn't wrong. She _was_ pretty.

But the urge to stare didn't come from a place of attraction. It came from a place of concern. Sasuke didn't know Sakura well, but in the last few weeks he had discerned at least one thing for sure. She was brave.

It wasn't a good thing. In his experience, the courageous were the first to find the barrel of a gun at their heads. He recalled the way Sakura had stood completely still when Itsumi had approached, allowing the woman to examine her face, no trace of fear in her eyes, though he knew she must have been terrified. He had hoped Itsumi would ignore Sakura. Chalk her up as some simple girl her men had forced along unthinkingly, too dumb for her attentions. But Sakura wasn't dumb. He had seen the way her quick eyes darted around, taking inventory of the space even as she pleaded with him. She was far stronger than she pretended—perhaps than even she realized—and Itsumi had noticed. That interest in Sakura was far more concerning than any of the trigger-happy morons in her employ.

Sasuke hadn't told Sakura the entire truth tonight, just enough to sate her curiosity. But if Itsumi continued to pay Sakura attention, he wasn't sure he could keep her from it all. Sasuke frowned at that realization. He would need to be more careful. Sakura was evidently too smart for her own damn good.

He stole a glance at her as he mulled over the evening. She looked bone tired. She was not, however, drunk, which he unquestionably was. He couldn't remember the last time he had drank this much in such a short amount of time. First the bar on Friday. Then the bottle of scotch in his office. Clearly he was driven to drink when in the presence of Sakura Haruno.

Perhaps, he thought lazily as they jaywalked across the street, it was because her emotions gave him whiplash. One moment she was yelling, the next she was asking if he was ok, as though it was _she_ who had dragged _him_ into this mess. The Sakura he remembered from school had never been so multifaceted. _That_ Sakura was simple. Though, to be fair, he had really only known one thing about her. She liked boys. Namely, him.

But this Sakura was . . . intriguing. A curious mix of indignant righteousness and empathy. Strength and softness. One moment throwing punches (or knees), and the next tossing fortune cookies, her eyes alight with laughter. It was infuriating. It was also hot. The thought made him smile, and then frown. Dammit. He preferred it when he had thought she was a boy-obsessed simpleton.

When a familiar lamp pole came into view, Sasuke slowed, realizing he had led them successfully back to her apartment while lost in his slurring thoughts. He looked at Sakura properly then, but she had turned away, her keys in hand. No goodnight kiss then, he thought with a smirk.

"Thanks for walking me home Sasuke," she said softly as she neared her door, all energy zapped from her voice. She sounded . . . defeated, and it dawned on him he didn't like her tone. She really was tired, wasn't she?

"You're welcome," he began, the drink pushing him to go on. "Although, you're right, you probably would have been fine on your own. You did, after all, beat the shit out of that idiot earlier."

His comment had the desired effect. She smiled. It lit her whole face.

"He _was_ a little shit, wasn't he?" She laughed lightly, the sound a welcome tinkle in his ears.

Sasuke smiled at their private joke. Before his brain registered what his body was doing, he leaned forward, placing a hand on her front door to keep her in place. She had looked about to leave, and he wasn't done with her yet.

"Don't do it again," Sasuke warned seriously. He heard her take the smallest intake of air.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, her voice suddenly low and throaty. Involuntarily, his stomach muscles clenched. God, what was _that_ voice?

"Be brave like that," he answered, inching a little closer to the woman so as to inhale the smell of sweat tinged with scotch and rosemary that seemed to be emanating from her neck. It was . . . pleasant. Their eyes locked, and he wondered idly whether her mouth would taste like scotch too. Maybe he _should_ give her a good night kiss, he thought distantly as he stared at her lips. That might renew her spirits.

"You're drunk, Sasuke," Sakura said when he didn't speak, her voice so quiet he wouldn't have heard it but for the fact he was leaning in, his face a foot from her own.

"So? I had a bad night."

She smiled at that, and he felt his heart give a viscous pound at the sight of her lips tugged upwards. She really was pretty, he mused. Especially when she smiled.

"Thank you," Sakura muttered, looking up at him from under her long lashes. Did she know she was acting like this? All simpering and sweet? So very unlike herself? He reached a hand to push a stray hair behind her ear, trying to decide whether he liked it up or not.

"For what?" Sasuke offered absently as he touched her ear.

"For telling me about your family. For . . . trusting me," she said, and he felt her body shiver as his finger made contact.

"You shouldn't be thanking me," he said, closing his eyes to regain some of the control he felt slipping away.

"But I am," Sakura retorted. "Even if you don't want to hear it." There it was again, that hard note of determination.

"You're a very confusing woman, Sakura Haruno," Sasuke muttered, opening his eyes and pausing at her full, pink lips. Maybe pretty wasn't the right word for her. Pretty women didn't throw back tequila shots like she did, or hiss like an angry cat when provoked. Or wet their lips, almost without noticing.

He stared at that, feeling his arm give slightly as he came closer, the smell of her washing over him until—with one final, gentle push—he would have been able to press his lips against hers, finally tasting whether she did, in fact, taste like scotch. He could sense her body tightening below him, and he smirked. Maybe she hadn't gotten over him after all.

"Goodnight, Sakura," he said, pushing himself away before he did something his sober self would regret in the morning. He could feel her eyes burning a hole into his back as he walked, and his smirk split into a smile. No, he didn't think she had gotten over him at all.

* * *

"And then I told that old pervert that just because he was the partner on the case didn't mean he could stick me with the grunt work! But then it was only an hour until the client meeting and that bastard _still_ hadn't show up yet! So I had to frantically pull everything together anyway. I think he does it on purpose! I just don't get how Kakashi is a partner. He's never in the office, and when he is he's late! Hey, uh, Sasuke? Hellooooo, earth to Sasuke!"

Sasuke felt a hard push, and he stumbled slightly off the path, his running shoes slipping on the wet, morning grass.

"What, you idiot?" Sasuke said, righting himself.

"You weren't even listening to me!" Naruto called back to him as he kept jogging, ignoring the fact he had almost pushed Sasuke into the lake.

"I never listen to you," Sasuke snapped, revving up his pace to catch up to his friend.

They continued a little bit further, Naruto fuming silently at Sasuke's side, which, as far as Sasuke was concerned, was perfectly ok. As they neared the park bench where they had started, they slowed, and Sasuke fell into a brisk walk, letting his muscles begin to calm. God the burn felt good.

He honestly had been trying to listen to Naruto, but his mind had kept leaping back to Thursday night. It had been the same yesterday too. He would be working, his mind focused, and then he would recall the way her heavy breath had sounded in his ear as he tucked back that stray strand of hair, or the heady smell of scotch and sweat and rosemary that seemed to be burned now into his sensory memory.

They hadn't spoken yesterday, though they ran into each other twice. Once in the hallway as she was walking out of her office, and once in the kitchen. Both times he had pointedly ignored her, and both times she had frowned at him. Neither had spoken. Which, he reminded himself, was a good thing. They shouldn't be talking about their visit with Itsumi in the office where people could overhear, and really, what more was there to say? Eventually, when Itsumi had gathered the information he requested, she would send another car, and they would go through the ritual again. This time hopefully without Sakura causing further trouble. In the meantime, however, he had shared with Sakura all he wanted to share, and she seemed resigned to the situation.

"Hinata said I invited too many people, but I don't know, I think it's a good group. Hey, do us a favor and pick up some ice on your way ok?"

Shit, Naruto had been talking again.

"Bring ice to what?" Sasuke asked, raising his arms to stretch out his triceps as he refocused his attention on Naruto.

Naruto looked at him hard.

"The barbeque."

"What barbeque?"

"Sasuke are you serious? The barbeque! That Hinata and I are hosting. Today. At our apartment? I told you about this like three weeks ago!"

Sasuke blinked.

"We have talked about this!" Naruto exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air. "Do you listen to me at all on our runs?"

No, Sasuke thought. Especially not the last two months. His mind had been occupied with merger logistics. He strained his memory.

"Well?" Naruto said, glaring at him angrily. Sasuke looked at him, and shrugged.

"Well what?"

"Are you coming?"

"Oh. No." Sasuke said, moving to stretch out his calves. "I'm busy."

"You don't even know what time it is," Naruto sneered.

"It's at 2:00."

Naruto made a buzzer noise.

"Wrong! It's at 6:00, and you better fucking be there. With ice."

"Naruto—"

"Sasuke, seriously, this is important! I am hosting a party with the woman I'm planning to _marry_! Would it kill you to be supportive for once?"

Sasuke looked over at Naruto in surprise. That was new.

"The woman you're planning to marry, huh?" He asked with a smirk. Naruto paled.

"Well, uh, yah, someday . . . ." He smiled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "She's pretty great."

"Just try not to knock her up before you marry her. Her dad will have you killed," he added as he took a seat on the bench.

"You know, just because you're going to die alone—unloved I might add—doesn't mean you have to be so bitter," Naruto muttered as he took a seat next to him. "So you'll be there?"

Sasuke stared out at the park, watching the trees sway in the breeze. Summer was creeping by so quickly, he thought idly.

"Who did you invite?" He finally asked, already knowing the answer. Naruto paused and crinkled his brow in thought.

"Let's see," he began, ticking off names on his fingers. "There's Shikamaru, Temari, Neji, Tenten, Lee, Ino, Sai, Sakura, you know, the usual gang."

Sasuke continued to stare at the swaying trees, enjoying the soft brush of wind on his sweaty face.

"Yah," he said finally, glancing at Naruto. "I'll be there."

"Excellent!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly as he raised his hands above his head in a leisurely stretch. "So, did you have a good week?"

Sasuke closed his eyes. No, no he did not.

* * *

"What about this one?" Sakura called into her bathroom, holding up a white peasant top for inspection. Ino, who was standing at the vanity in front of a small army of makeup tubes, glanced at her with a raised brow.

"It's not horrible, but it's a little virginal, even for you."

"I'm not a virgin," Sakura muttered sourly as she replaced the shirt in her closet.

" _Sure_ you're not," Ino sighed sadly as she lifted a mascara wand to her face. "You just live the nun lifestyle to be edgy. Oh! Here's a thought. Why don't you wear that blue dress you bought last year?"

Sakura frowned and slid back hangers until she reached the article of clothing.

"This one?" She asked, raising it against her body. "It's a little short, don't you think?" Though it did have pockets, she mused, which was a major plus.

Ino snorted as she leaned into the bathroom mirror, administering a coat of black goo to her eyelashes.

"It's a barbeque Sakura. I think you can get away with something that ends mid-thigh."

Sakura looked down at the dress and fingered the soft fabric. It was dark blue. Almost the same shade as the banner that hung in Sasuke's office, she mused silently to herself. Her fingers paused. Where had that come from?

"Ino," she began carefully, putting the dress down on her bed and unknotting her robe. "Do you think Naruto invited Sasuke to this?"

There was a loud clatter as something hit the porcelain sink.

"Ohhh," Ino purred as she turned around, "hoping the Great Uchiha will make an appearance?"

Sakura closed her eyes. Why did she do these things to herself?

"I was just asking," Sakura said as she disrobed and picked up the dress from the bed. "No reason to get excited."

"Uh huh," Ino murmured, sounding unconvinced. "Well, I'm sure he was invited Sakura. He and Naruto are best friends after all. But I doubt he will come."

Sakura nodded as she stepped into the fabric and dragged the dress up her body.

"That's true," she said, largely to herself as she zipped up the back. "Ino, you do know you have your own bathroom, right?"

"I know," Ino smiled as she turned back to the mirror. "But yours has better light."

Sakura sighed and adjusted the strap of the dress so it lay flat against her shoulder.

"I'll just finish getting ready in _your_ bathroom then, shall I?"

"Sounds good," Ino called as she reached for Sakura's curling iron.

"I need to get my own place," Sakura muttered to herself as she walked into the hall. Once in Ino's bathroom, which was admittedly much darker than her own was, Sakura shut the door and turned to the mirror.

"He probably won't be there," she reassured her reflection. "He hates this kind of crap."

Satisfied, she went to work taming her hair. It was still damp from her shower, which she had managed to sneak in after returning from the office late this afternoon. Tsunade was on a warpath about a case that should have settled weeks ago, but was still hanging on for dear life. She and Shizune had spent most of the day sitting in a conference room doing document review for the depositions scheduled next week, jumping every time Tsunade walked in and dropped another binder on the table for them to review. Blissfully, at 4:00, even Tsunade had seemed to run out of steam, and she let them leave.

Sakura picked up Ino's blow dryer and went to work drying her hair. After five minutes, she sighed. It was getting too long. Drying it was taking forever. As she reached for Ino's brush, her fingers slowed slightly as she recalled how Sasuke had pushed a strand away from her face. It was definitely too long, she thought with a shiver.

The man was confusing as hell. He had ignored her Friday, as though they hadn't spent the night before being shoved into a van. Or standing mere inches from each other, their breath comingling as they locked eyes in the darkness. She frowned at the memory. He must have been making fun of her. It was the only explanation.

Sakura clicked off the blow dryer and reached for a tube of mascara, running the wand through her lashes. After brushing some pale pink gloss on her lips, she studied herself in the mirror. Not too shabby, she thought happily as she turned her face from side to side. She looked more than halfway decent. She unplugged the blow dryer from the wall and ventured back into the hallway, pausing as her eyes landed on a familiar sight.

"Hi Sai," Sakura greeted as she walked into the living room to join him. "Nice flowers," she added, looking at the large bouquet he held, "though, as an FYI, Ino prefers chocolates."

"They're not for Ino, they're for you," he said simply, holding them out to her. Sakura paused, regarding him with wide eyes.

"You got me flowers?"

"No. They were outside your door when I arrived."

Before she could move, Ino pushed past her from behind, rushing to Sai to scoop the flowers out of his hands.

"Sakura! You dirty little devil! Who is sending you flowers?" Ino gasped excitedly as she examined the bundle. "Where's the card?"

Sai handed her a small, white square, and Ino looked at it quickly before handing it to Sakura. Sakura took it with interest. Black typed print spelled out Sakura Haruno. No message. No sender name. She turned it over. Blank.

"Secret admirer perhaps?" Ino offered with a wink, walking to the kitchen counter and fishing out a vase from a cabinet. "It's an interesting selection. You don't usually see camellias in the summer."

Sakura froze.

"I'm sorry?" She asked slowly, her eyes fixing on the bouquet as Ino went to work unwrapping the stems from the tissue so she could artfully arrange them in the crystal vase.

"I said, you don't usually see camellias in the summer. They bloom in the late winter and early spring," Ino said, looking up. "It's incredibly more expensive to grow them out of season you know. Plus, they're white, which is associated with purity and innocence. Rather an odd choice for a secret admirer in my opinion."

"Do you not like them?" Sai asked, looking at Sakura with his disturbing, unblinking eyes. What a time for Sai to become observant, she thought savagely as she began to edge towards the kitchen, trying to seem unperturbed.

"Oh, no, they're fine. I just don't know much about flowers, is all," Sakura said carefully as she neared Ino.

"Which is ridiculous considering you live with the heiress of a flower company," Ino scowled as she snipped a stem and deposited it into the vase. "You never did pay attention when I tried to teach you about these things. So, who do you think sent them? The only person who likes you is Lee, and he wouldn't send flowers anonymously. Plus they'd probably be bright orange and come with balloons to boot."

"I'm sure a client sent them," Sakura said hastily, eyes still trained on the white blossoms.

"To your home address?" Ino said. How she managed to talk while also maintaining her Cheshire grin was impressive.

"Maybe my assistant had them forwarded here," Sakura tried desperately, watching as Ino deposited the last stem into the vase.

"Uh huh," Ino said sounding unconvinced. "Well, that was very exciting, but we're going to be late if we don't leave soon. Sakura, go grab your shoes. Sai, are you ready to go?"

"Yes gorgeous, the car is out front."

Sakura resisted the urge to gag and returned to her room. As she walked, she fingered the card. She had little doubt who had sent the flowers. The question was why. Was it a threat? Or maybe an apology, she thought hopefully as she put the card on her desk. Whatever it was, she would deal it tomorrow. Tonight, she wanted a beer with her friends.

Sakura pulled on a pair of sandals and grabbed her purse before joining Ino and Sai in the living room. Who were, she groaned, making out.

"We'll be late," she said stiffly, crossing her arms as she glared at them.

Ino, whose lips were still locked with Sai's, nodded.

"Let me just grab our gift," she said breathily when she pulled her face away for air.

Twenty-five minutes later, Sai parked on a handsomely situated street lined with tall trees. They clambered out of the car and Sakura turned to face the large apartment complex where Naruto and Hinata lived. Sasuke only lived two blocks away, she realized as she shut the back door. You could walk there in five minutes.

"We're guests of Ms. Hyūga and Mr. Uzumaki," Ino said when they reached the doorman standing in front of the building. With a smile, he took their names, made a call, and once their guest status was confirmed, buzzed them through.

"Head up to the roof, they've reserved the entire party area," he added jovially as they walked in. Sakura smiled. Naruto sure did love a party.

When the elevator doors opened into the party room, Naruto was standing there expectantly, holding what appeared to be a plate of raw meat. Sakura bit out a laugh. His apron read "Kiss the Cook."

"Sakura! Ino! Sai! You made it!" He yelled happily as they came into sight.

"Naruto, you hosted a party, so we brought you this bottle of champagne," Sai said in greeting, indicating the slim black bag Ino held.

"Thanks Sai," Naruto said, taking the bag as he balanced the tray. "Come out to the patio, Hinata will be excited to see you."

They followed Naruto through a set of large French doors onto the rooftop, which similar to Sasuke's place afforded a magnificent view of the city. Colorful paper lanterns and tea lights were strung about the place, and music pulsed gently through speakers placed strategically in potted plants. Sakura noted with interest there was a fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs in the back where Temari and Shikamaru were sitting together.

"Geeze Naruto, how many people did you invite?" Ino said, glancing around at the mass of people gathered in the space.

"Just our closest friends," Naruto laughed. "I may have gotten carried away."

"Oh! There's Shikamaru and Temari," Ino said excitedly, dragging Sai with her as she sped off towards the pair. Sakura watched as she went, smiling as she saw Temari shift away from Shikamaru the moment she spotted the newcomers. Who were they trying to fool?

"Sakura, welcome! I grabbed you a drink."

Sakura turned and smiled at Hinata, who was walking towards her with a beer in hand.

"You anticipate my every need Hinata," Sakura said as she took the cold bottle. "The place looks amazing by the way."

"Oh, thank you," Hinata said, blushing as she eyed Naruto, who was beaming next to her. "It is a fun space. We have it rented until ten, so enjoy yourself. There are snacks over there, and the bar is just inside by the bathrooms. Naruto is going to start on the meat any minute too."

Naruto smiled and leaned in, placing a chaste kiss on Hinata's cheek.

"Sure am!" He said cheerily as he turned towards the grill. "Oh! Hey Sasuke!"

Sakura whipped her head to look and almost dropped her bottle.

Walking towards them holding a large bag of ice, his strong forearms straining slightly at the effort, was indeed Sasuke. Son of a bitch. He had showed.

When Sasuke neared, his deep eyes caught her own, and she swallowed. He looked so casual in his blue jeans and white button up. The sleeves were pushed up to his elbows and the neck was unbuttoned, offering a view of his collarbone. Her eyes lingered on the visible skin. God. He really was painfully gorgeous.

"Sakura," Sasuke said in greeting when he came to a stop by the threesome, giving her a curt nod of his head.

"Sasuke," she responded, willing her voice to stay even. "You brought ice?"

He nodded again.

"Thank you for picking that up, Sasuke. I can take it from you," Hinata said sweetly, reaching for the bag Sasuke held. He handed it to her wordlessly, and with a small smile to Sakura, Hinata walked away with the heavy load, presumably towards the bar.

Sakura continued to stare at Sasuke, drinking in the sharp lines of his face, and noticing not for the first time that his eyes seemed to be fixed on hers as well, his lips drawn in a small smirk.

"Um, I'm here too you know," Naruto said, looking between the two of them.

Sakura snapped her eyes away, suddenly feeling very foolish. What was she doing staring at him like that?

"I'm going to find Ino," she managed, turning on heel quickly to relocate the blonde. As she went, she tried to shake the butterflies that seemed to have hatched in her stomach. You worked so hard to get over him, she thought angrily as she walked. Don't get excited just because one time he almost maybe thought about potentially kissing you. She stole a look back, and grimaced when she saw he was still looking at her, his eyes seeming to trail down her bare legs. She shook her head and kept walking. He is probably thinking how annoying you are, she thought to herself. Nothing more.

When she approached the group of friends, she noted happily Tenten and Neji had arrived and were seated around the pit, drinks in hand. Ino seemed to be chatting with Temari while Shikamaru just sat there, his face directed upward, eyes closed peacefully.

"Sakura!" Tenten greeted as she approached. "We were just talking about you! How's that probono case going?"

"We're still in the investigative phase," Sakura managed weakly as she took a spare chair. "Nothing to report really," she added.

"Except for how soft Sasuke Uchiha's bed is," Ino said with a smile.

"Shut. Up. Ino-Pig." Sakura growled.

"Oh lighten up! I'm just joking. No one is under any disillusion that you actually managed to sleep with him. Did I see though that Sasuke is here?"

"Yes," Sakura responded simply, taking a long drink from her beer so she didn't punch Ino in the mouth.

"He never shows up to these things!" Ino continued, her voice rising in excitement.

"I can't imagine why," Sakura said softly, keeping her eyes directed straight ahead.

"Can't you?" Shikamaru said in a low voice. She glanced at him, but he just raised an eyebrow at her before returning his eyes to the sky.

Before Ino could further embarrass her, Sakura directed her attention to Temari and quickly changed topics.

"So, what kind of activity do you think Naruto planned for tonight?"

"Ugh, hopefully it's not beer pong again. I'm too old for that shit."

"Maybe he'll just let us hang out," Tenten offered hopefully. The group looked at each other doubtfully.

"So probably flippy cup then," Neji offered with a sad shake of his head.

They sighed, and then laughed as they began to recount stories from parties past, breaking only when Naruto began to loudly yell to the crowd that dinner was served.

Sakura put her half consumed beer by her chair and stood to follow Ino towards the food line, pausing when she saw Rock Lee come through the door.

"Oh good! Lee is here!" Tenten said, hurrying over to give him a hug. Sakura let out a breath and continued after her, giving Ino a sideways glance. The blonde winked. Great. She was going to be no help.

"Good evening everyone! My apologies for my late arrival!"

"You're not late Lee," Neji said, gesturing for him to join them as they merged into the line for food. "Naruto just finished grilling the first round."

"Excellent! I am famished after my work out with Gai. Oh! Sakura, you look beautiful!"

Forcing a smile onto her face, Sakura nodded slightly in greeting.

"Thank you Lee."

"Truly Sakura! Blue suits you! You should wear a blue dress to the firm ball! Speaking of which—"

"You know Lee," Ino interrupted mischievously as she reached for a plastic plate on the food table. "You have competition now. Sakura's got herself a secret admirer."

"What!" Lee said, staring at Ino in horror. "Who!"

" _Secret_ admirer Lee," Ino sighed, shaking her head at him. "As in we don't know who. But he sent Sakura the most gorgeous flowers today. Big, beautiful white camellias."

"What?"

Sakura froze at the familiar voice. Ino and her big mouth . . . .

"Sasuke! I was just telling Lee that our little Sakura has a secret admirer," Ino grinned, looking past Sakura to the source of the voice.

Sakura turned, and as expected, met Sasuke's hard glare. He was standing a few feet away, his hands holding a platter of brats, his face drawn tight in what she now recognized as controlled anger.

"They, uh, showed up this afternoon," Sakura told him, watching his face hesitantly.

Slowly, he walked forward and put the platter down on the table.

"Sakura. A word please," he said before walking towards the party room. Sakura closed her eyes. All she had wanted was a beer with her friends. But no. Life was never that easy, was it?

She followed him, ignoring the frantic whispers Ino called at her and the hot stares from her surprised friends. This is really not helping the whole I-didn't-sleep-with-him thing, she thought as she dragged a hand through her loose hair.

Once inside, Sasuke continued to the far back, pushing open another door to reveal a hallway that led to the bathrooms. She let the door swing shut behind her, and Sasuke turned, his eyes dancing dangerously.

"Start from the beginning," he directed, stepping close to her.

"Someone sent me flowers," she said shrugging, avoiding his eyes. "That's it."

"Camellias?"

"Yes."

"Goddammit," Sasuke hissed, smacking his palm against the wall. Sakura jumped at the sound. "When?"

"This afternoon, like I said," she added, a little annoyed at his attitude. "Calm down," she said, backing up a step.

"Sakura, you know who sent those."

"Yes, of course I know. So what? Maybe she was apologizing?"

Sasuke laughed.

"Apologizing? Itsumi Tsubaki doesn't apologize, Sakura. No. The flowers are a message. She's telling you she knows your name, and she knows where you live. She's telling you she could get to you anytime she wanted, Sakura. It's not an apology, it's a threat."

Sakura's stomach clenched unhappily. She had figured as much, she just hadn't wanted to admit it.

"Well, it's not exactly new news, is it?" Sakura said quickly, trying to talk herself down from the fresh panic Sasuke had started in her. "She already knew my name, and how hard is it to find someone's address?"

"Was there a card?" He asked, looking at her sharply.

"Yes, it just had my name on it."

"You're sure? No message?"

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"I can read, you know. It said Sakura Haruno. That was it."

Sasuke nodded, seemingly to himself, and let out a breath. He turned then, facing away from her, and stood quietly for a long moment.

"Sasuke?" Sakura pressed when the moment stretched into minutes.

"Give me a second," he said quietly, still not facing her. Eventually, he turned back, his face significantly calmer, though she didn't miss the way his lips were drawn in a hard line.

"It'll be ok Sasuke. She's just messing with us," Sakura said, partly to reassure him, but also to reassure herself.

"She is," Sasuke agreed with a nod, "but that doesn't mean we shouldn't take it seriously."

"We won't," she said, eyeing him. "But, this doesn't change anything. I won't tell anyone about her, and once we have the information we need, we won't deal with her again."

Sasuke smiled at that.

"Got it all figured out huh?"

"One of us has to stay focused," she said, relieved that he was returning to his normal self. "What are you doing here anyway Sasuke?"

"I was invited," he said casually, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.

"You know what I mean."

"Naruto insisted," he shrugged, tilting his head as he looked at her. "Besides, who could pass on his cooking?"

"Big fan of burnt hamburgers, are you?"

"The biggest."

She grinned, and he smirked back, his eyes flicking down to stare at her legs.

"That's an awfully short dress, Ms. Haruno," he continued softly. Her heart leapt to her throat.

"It's not that short!" She exclaimed, feeling her hands grab self-consciously at the hem, which fell to mid-thigh. "Besides, it has pockets!"

Sasuke drew his brows together in confusion.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Dresses never come with pockets! But this one has them!"

"Are you using the pockets?"

"Well . . . no, but they're here if I _do_ need them," she said, moving her hands to push into the fabric to demonstrate. "See?"

"I do. Perhaps you should use your pockets to hold your keys, since you seem unable to keep track of your purse."

Sakura blushed.

"That was one time, Sasuke."

"Was it? You weren't planning to lose your purse again tonight so you had to come home with me, were you?"

"As if," Sakura huffed, glancing away so he couldn't see her burning face.

"Let's see," Sasuke said softly, and suddenly, she felt fingers at her hips pulling her forward by the opening of her pockets.

Sasuke pulled her towards the wall where he leaned, his hands dipping to join hers in the fabric, bringing her body very close to his.

"Hmm, they seem large enough. You could definitely keep your keys and phone in here," he breathed as she struggled to withdraw her hands, though his remained there, fingers gently brushing against hers as she pulled them out.

"They're not really meant for big items like that," she managed, trying not to think about how one of his fingers had twitched, almost as though he was running his finger across her hip bone.

"I'm sure if you were gentle they could fit even the largest package," he said very, very quietly.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?" Sakura said, her voice barely above a whisper, her heart pounding in her ears.

"I don't know," he admitted distantly, though his hands remained thrust into her dress, his eyes studying her face. She raised her hands to grasp at his wrists, and his hands flexed in response, grabbing her hips through the thin fabric.

He turned her then, pushing her against the wall, and she felt his leg push slightly between her own, just enough to force her knees apart. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she looked up at him in shock, eyes locking on the smirk that played at his lips.

"Have you been drinking?" She gasped breathily when she had steadied herself.

"Not a drop," Sasuke responded slowly as he looked down at her, his hands still curled firmly around her hips. She tightened her grasp on his wrists, suddenly feeling very exposed and confused.

"Then what are you doing?" She repeated as he pressed his body against hers slightly.

"Why? Do you want me to stop?"

She looked at him then, meeting his eyes dead on, the word escaping before she could quash it.

"No."

Sasuke seemed to pause at this, before smirking widely, his hands dislodging from her pockets and come to rest on her hips properly. She let her hands fall to the wall, pressing her palms against it for stability. If he kept looking at her like that she wasn't sure she would manage to stay upright.

"Lee is an idiot. But he's right you know," Sasuke said as he brought a hand slowly down until it touched the bare flesh of her thigh, just below her hem.

"About what?" She breathed, goosebumps rising across her body as she felt his fingers draw a small circle on her skin.

"Blue suits you," he said, his fingers coming around to the back of her thigh, sliding under her dress and stroking upwards until he was almost at her panty line. "You should wear it more often," he said as he leaned in, his lips at her ear. "Especially with those pink shoes—"

"Am I interrupting?"

Sasuke's hand froze in place, and Sakura clenched her eyes together, refusing to look at either man. Shikamaru stood at the hallway door, holding it open, a bored look on his face as he stared at them.

Carefully, Sasuke removed his hand from where it had clamped down just under Sakura's ass. He let go of her hip and turned to face the intruder, his face completely calm.

"Shikamaru," he said smoothly as he walked past, as though Shikamaru had not just walked in on him with his hand squarely up Sakura's dress.

Sakura, on the other hand, thought she was about to burst into flames from embarrassment. She glanced at Shikamaru, who was giving her a look that seemed to ask, really?

"Oh, screw you," she muttered, pushing herself away from the wall and walking the opposite way down the hall towards the ladies' room. She needed to tidy up. Her panties were soaked.

"Naruto is going to start the activities soon," Shikamaru called after her as she scurried away. "Unless there's something else you'd rather be doing?"

* * *

Author Note:

Man oh man I've been _dying_ to get this one out to you guys.

umaficwriter, that Kakashi reference was for you. I likewise love Kakashi, so much so that he probably won't be making too many appearances in this fic because I'll get distracted! Better to save him for his own story.

Also, you guys have to check out the most beautiful art saradacchi made for Trial and Error, Chapter 1. It's available on saradacchi's tumblr, and shared on mine as well (manhattanchase). I'm in love the colors! Thanks saradacchi!


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

* * *

Sasuke leaned against the elevator wall, running a hand through his hair.

"What the hell are you doing," he murmured to himself as he replayed the scene over in his head. Again.

He hadn't meant to touch her. Truly. He had just wanted to tease her a little. To lighten the mood. Take her mind off the floral message that was no doubt sitting in her tiny, clearly unused kitchen.

But Jesus Christ, she had just looked so horribly innocent in that tiny blue dress with its damnable pockets. Like she had purchased the thing for its storage capabilities as opposed to how damn fine it made her legs look.

He hadn't expected his hands to snake around her hips almost on instinct, or for her voice to drop to that breathy whisper, her wide, fuck-me-eyes studying his face with apprehension. He could tell she didn't trust him. Hell. He was pretty sure she didn't entirely like him. But he had also felt the way her body had quivered as his hand slid up the soft flesh of her thigh. Without a doubt, she wanted him.

The troubling thing was—he was starting to think he wanted her too. He hadn't expected his body to react to hers so . . . viscerally. Dislodging his hand from her thigh had been a monumental act of will. Not looking back at her as he exited the hallway even more so.

Which, he thought as he glanced up at the red glowing numbers that were slowly flicking downwards, signaling the elevator's descent, was why he was leaving.

He knew he should feel bad for taking off early, but frankly, he didn't care. Sakura was a big girl, and he would make his apologies to Naruto on Monday. No doubt the dope wouldn't even notice he had left for another hour, and by then, he would be a few beers in, and Sasuke would be safely at home. Several blocks and many a closed door away from Sakura and her little blue dress.

As the elevator slowed, Sasuke pushed away from the wall and moved to stand in front of the doors. With a final, soft thud, the metal box met the ground and the doors slid open, freeing Sasuke from the suffocating enclosure. He strode into the lobby, nodding at the doorman as he passed.

"Goodnight," the man said, giving Sasuke a curt nod as he held open the door.

"Goodnight," Sasuke reciprocated, moving leisurely through it and into the warm evening air. He was grateful he had left his car in the garage tonight. Naruto lived so close it would have been stupid to drive anyway, but at the moment, he was just happy for the time and fresh air a walk provided. He felt agitated. Restless. His body amplified, as if every nerve was firing at once.

Sasuke neared his condo and entered through the side door, in no mood to make forced conversation with his own doorman as he waited for the elevator. He took the service elevator instead, silently thanking his father for buying a place with multiple points of entry and departure. Security had always been important to the Uchiha Family. Their mansion was practically a fortress, complete with underground tunnels and a panic room. The condo was nowhere near as secure as his childhood home, but he didn't need it to be. What would a simple lawyer need with armed guards?

Then again, he thought as he came onto his floor and spotted a long, unmarked box outside his door, maybe it was time to reconsider.

His body went rigid, as though cold water had been dumped over his head, as he regarded the package. It was about the length of a violin case, and similarly thick. He didn't see a card, but he was far away. It could simply be camouflaged against the white cardboard. He glanced around carefully, but the hallway was empty. It appeared whoever had left the offending item was long gone.

Slowly, Sasuke approached his door and looked down at the box. With a small nudge of his foot he pushed off the lid, frowning. As expected, white Camellias lay inside atop white tissue paper.

"Predictable to a fault," Sasuke muttered as he knelt to inspect the contents. He dug gingerly through the stems, looking for a card similar to the one left for Sakura. But his box was empty save for the flowers. He supposed Itsumi didn't need the theatrics of an unsigned card for him. He knew for whom the message was intended.

Sasuke stood, bringing the box with him as he strode quickly down the hall to the trash chute. He stuffed the box into the square tunnel with an angry push, listening as it banged its way down to the bowels of the building.

Satisfied, Sasuke returned to his apartment and let himself inside. He flipped on the light, half expecting to see Itsumi sitting on his large leather couch; her cane perched over a crossed knee. But the apartment lay dormant. Seemingly undisturbed.

With a sigh, Sasuke dumped his keys on the counter and moved to fix himself a proper drink. He desperately needed one. After splashing bourbon into his favorite crystal glass, he strolled to the large sliding glass door, looking out on his city.

He knew he shouldn't be surprised by tonight's gifts. Itsumi loved to play with her food after all. And she could have sent worse. Done worse, he added tersely as he took a drink. But it still made him deeply uneasy. Particularly the woman's attentions to Sakura.

Which, he thought as he looked out at the dying sun, was yet another reason he needed to get a grip on himself. Sakura might be brave, but she had no idea what she had stumbled into. And the more attention he paid her, the more of a target she would become. He took another sip, staring at the skyline, before turning back to his empty apartment.

* * *

"He left," Sakura said blankly as she stared into the fire pit, her hand clasped around her third beer. "Vanished," she added with a snap of her free fingers, "poof, like that."

"We know Sakura," Temari said sympathetically, reaching over to place a warm hand on Sakura's back. "You've said that a few times now."

"But seriously, who does that? I mean, he ran away! Probably thinks he escaped actually . . . ." Sakura said largely to herself, still staring into the fire. "What an ass," she added lamely as she drank her beer.

"I'm starting to think sending Shikamaru to find you guys was a mistake," Ino pondered, putting a finger to her chin thoughtfully.

"Well it sure didn't fucking help matters, did it Ino-Pig?" Sakura said angrily, glancing at the blonde.

"Oh, don't get so bent out of shape," Ino snapped. "How was I supposed to know you two would be making out?"

"We weren't making out," Sakura corrected quickly, "he just, you know, touched my leg."

"Uh huh," Temari and Ino said in unison.

"We didn't!" Sakura insisted loudly, pounding the arm of the chair with an angry little fist.

"But did you want to?" Temari asked, her voice genuinely curious.

Sakura paused, measuring the question.

"I don't know," she admitted finally, choosing to take a deep drink so as to avoid the women's sharp eyes. "Maybe," she added truthfully as she brought the bottle down.

"You did," Ino said, nodding her head like some wise sage imparting deep wisdom to her grasshoppers. "I mean, look at the dress you chose to wear tonight. You definitely want the D."

"You _told_ me to wear this dress," Sakura hissed, glancing down at her outfit.

"And when do you ever take my advice?" Ino crooned with delight.

Sakura opened her mouth to retort but paused, considering. Unfortunately, Ino wasn't wrong, so she just took another drink, draining her bottle and rattling the empty glass at her friends.

"If I'm going to survive the embarrassment of tonight I'll need another one of these," she sighed as she stood. "Anyone want another?" She asked, looking to her friends. The women shook their heads, so Sakura turned, moving to the bar that sat just inside the entrance to the party room.

She dug for a fresh beer in the fridge and popped off the twist top, taking another drink. That's right Sakura, she mused to herself. Totally healthy to drink away your feelings. Keep up the good work.

It had been almost two hours since Sasuke had left, but she was still annoyed. After fleeing to the bathroom and splashing cold water on the back of her neck, Sakura had peeked out into the hallway and—finding it empty—ventured out. She had debated sneaking down the emergency stairs, but she hadn't wanted to give Sasuke the satisfaction. She hadn't missed his smug smile, or the smooth manner in which he had removed his hand from the soft flesh of her thigh.

Twice in one week Sasuke had cornered her against a wall, and twice in one week she had frozen like a scared rabbit, her heart beating so hard she had serious concerns she would have a heart attack before she reached the age of thirty.

She could have ignored the first time. He certainly had. Emotions had been high, and he had been drinking. But this was the _second_ time. And him slipping his hand under her dress, his strong fingers pressing into her skin as he traveled up her leg—his fingertips just scraping the lacey edge of her panties—well, there was just no explaining that away.

She didn't exactly know what Sasuke was playing at, but she knew she couldn't leave the party. To leave was to admit he had freaked her out. Gotten under her skin. Which, of course, he had. Loath though she was to admit it, he had never left. But she would be damned if he knew that.

She truly hadn't expected to return to the party and find _him_ gone. Yet, after she rejoined the group, blushing furiously as Shikamaru gave her a raised brow, she had taken a cursory sweep of the room and come up empty. After another thirty minutes with no Uchiha sighting, she had had to face the music. The bastard had left.

He had pushed her against a wall, stroked her leg dangerously close to completely unchartered territory, and then left. Like he owed her no explanation. Or like he did, but had no intention of providing it.

Sakura gritted her teeth and took another hearty sip. She wasn't hurt. Oh no. She was furious. And it wasn't with herself. It was entirely, unequivocally, with him.

Sakura leaned against the doorframe, looking out at the party. It was still raging, though many people had taken off around eight. It was almost nine now, and those that remained were largely the same familiar crowd she was used to seeing at Uzumaki functions. Sans one cold hearted jerk.

Towards the back of the outdoor space a large crowd cheered loudly as people played flip cup, and on the other side of the room a more subdued group sat on patio furniture, just talking and enjoying the warm night air. The sun had almost set, and so Hinata had turned on the fire pit, which Temari and Ino had promptly dragged Sakura to the minute they spotted her emerge from the bathroom earlier that night.

Shikamaru, it turned out, was a complete snitch. That, or he—like so many others—was no match for Ino's pointed interrogations. The woman could get water from stone. Once dragged to the fire pit, they had forced Sakura to recount the entire episode, starring at her in disbelief the entire while. After a few additional retellings and a detailed Q & A, any residual pleasure Sakura might have had from Sasuke's skilled fingers was replaced only with burning fury and utter mistrust.

She scoffed, raising the beer to her lips. And he had mocked her pockets. Clearly Sasuke was pure evil. It was the only explanation.

"Sakura! I've been waiting to talk to you all night!"

Sakura turned, smiling softly at the tall man who was beaming brilliantly down at her.

"Hey Lee, how's it going," she offered halfheartedly, not quite able to meet his level of energy.

"Well, Sakura, quite well! And you? Are you enjoying yourself?"

"You bet," she said, turning back to look at the scene. "I see Neji is playing flip cup over there with Naruto, you should join them. I bet you're great at that game," she added, knowing it would bring an even wider smile to his face.

It did, and she laughed bitterly to herself. What was her problem with men? Here was a perfectly nice guy, sweet as could be with a killer body—albeit horrible hair—who she knew was interested in her. Yet where did her romantic thoughts fly? A not-so-nice guy who was about as sweet as a lemon and was clearly _not_ interested in her, as evidenced by his rapid departure this evening. Though he did, she had to admit, have both a banging body and amazing hair. Bastard.

"Sakura, you don't look entirely yourself tonight. Is anything wrong?" Lee said, his smile drooping slightly as he looked at her.

"Oh, I'm just tired Lee," Sakura said, not meeting his eyes as she responded. "I had to work today."

"Tsunade really keeps you busy."

"Sure does, but that's why we're paid the big bucks," Sakura said with a smile, taking another drink and realizing with a start she had almost drained her fourth beer. She shrugged, and proceeded to empty the glass. If ever there was a time to get black out drunk, tonight was the night.

"Another?" Lee asked as he looked at her examining the bottle.

"Please," she said, letting him take it from her and replace it a minute later with a full one. Truly. Was there anything better for hurt pride than fermented barley? "Lee," Sakura began as she took it from him, nodding her thanks, "do you think people can change?"

"Absolutely," Lee responded confidently, taking a drink from his own cup, which looked to be some sort of sickly sweet mixed drink with several maraschino cherries. How did the man stay so thin?

"Really?" Sakura said in a soft, distant voice. "Even if they make the same stupid choices over and over again?" Like falling back into bad habits, she thought crossly. Or falling for the same bad habit more like . . . .

"Yes," Lee nodded resolutely, "people can always change. Though, only if they want it for themselves."

Sakura looked at him, raising a brow.

"What do you mean, want it for themselves?"

"Well, real change comes from a place within oneself. If you try to change for anyone but yourself it's not really change. It's just putting on a temporary mask."

Sakura nodded, her head feeling pleasantly fuzzy as she worked through Lee's pontification. The beer was beginning to do its magic.

"I suppose that's true," she said, smiling at him.

He smiled back, his face wide and eager.

"Why do you ask, Sakura?"

"Oh, just asking for a friend," Sakura laughed, helping herself to the new bottle. "A very pathetic, sad little friend."

"I doubt that very much," Lee said seriously. When she didn't respond, just took another unnecessarily long drink, Lee moved to face her, blocking her view of the party.

"Sakura, I was thinking, would you want to go to the firm ball with me?"

She froze, the lip of her bottle still glued to her mouth. Slowly, she lowed the drink and swallowed.

"Oh, um, that is so sweet," she began, fishing for a way not to devastate his heart while not lying. She didn't want to go with him, but he deserved better than a lie. "I wasn't exactly planning to go with anyone. There will be so many clients there, so I just want to mingle and help Tsunade host. You understand, don't you?"

When she caught sight of his flickering frown, she quickly offered, "but I'd love if you would save a dance for me Lee."

He looked up, his eyes suddenly hopeful, and she grimaced internally. That probably had been a mistake.

"It would be my honor to dance with you Sakura! I will begin practicing immediately!" He said, punching a fist into the air. She stared at him, confused.

"Practicing what?"

"Our dance!"

"Ah . . . . You really don't need to—"

"No Sakura! I must! You deserve the most accomplished dancer. I'm sure Gai will have some thoughts. Would you prefer the waltz? The foxtrot? Or perhaps the tango! You know what, no need to pick, I'll master them all. That way we can just let the night go organically."

"Sure," she said weakly, deciding to escape the conversation before she made things worse. "I'm going to find Ino, thanks for the talk Lee," she said as kindly as she could, dislodging herself from the doorframe and striding back to the fire pit where she could see Ino standing by Tenten, their faces pushed together conspiratorially.

Tenten waved at her faintly as she approached, and Ino turned, giving Sakura a sinister looking smile.

"What?" Sakura asked drily.

"Just filling Tenten in on your little back hall adventure," Ino purred, giving her eyebrows a fierce wiggle.

"Did Sasuke really give you a hickey?" Tenten asked wide-eyed, searching Sakura's neck with brazen interest.

"Ino!" Sakura growled, giving the woman a death stare.

"Its just Tenten," Ino said with a nonchalant wave, "calm down."

"I don't care if it's just Tenten, stop spreading gossip! And I don't have a hickey," Sakura muttered, her hand flying to her neck. She was pretty sure she would have remembered that.

"I won't tell anyone," Tenten assured Sakura seriously. "Promise."

"Oh, don't worry," Sakura sighed, giving the blonde a meaningful glare, "Ino probably told everyone by now anyway. So by all means, go crazy. Tell the world."

When Ino didn't immediately refute the accusation, Sakura sighed and rubbed her temples. What had happened to just having a beer with her friends?

"We were also talking about grabbing a drink downtown. Come with us Sakura," Tenten encouraged.

"I'm good here," Sakura said, staring out into the night, her palms feeling itchy.

"Well, I think Hinata said we have to clear out by ten, so if you're done moping, why doesn't Sai drop you off at home?" Ino said as she bent to fetch her purse from under a chair.

"I'm not moping," Sakura snipped, eyes still directed straight ahead. "And I'll just call a car when I'm ready to go, thank you."

When the women just looked at her, Sakura shooed them away with her hand.

"Please, just go. Have fun."

With an exaggerated eye roll, Ino left, mumbling something that sounded like "needs to get laid" as she stalked away.

Tenten called a good-bye to Sakura as she followed behind, but Sakura ignored them both, choosing instead to sink deeper into her brew.

Really, who did he think he was anyway?

She tapped the arm of the chair with her almost empty bottle, debating calling a car now or staying a bit longer. She hadn't really talked to Naruto yet. He had been busy entertaining guests and playing drinking games, and she had been busy keeping Ino at bay. But Sakura really wasn't in the mood to party anymore.

Her body felt on edge, her normally controlled temper (ok, semi-controlled temper) was fizzling dangerously close to the surface. She would hate to blow up on some unwitting idiot—aka Naruto—when all she wanted to do was yell at one person.

That, she realized with a start, was an idea.

Sakura drained the last of her drink and glanced around, locating her purse next to a potted plant. She picked up the chain and walked quickly out the door, hoping she could avoid any prolonged goodbye. She wasn't sure where Temari and Shikamaru had gotten off to, but she was done playing twenty questions tonight. An Irish-exit was for the best.

She reached the elevator and smacked the down button a half dozen times, which made little difference as she still stood there waiting for a full minute before the doors dinged open. She walked inside, selected the ground floor and watched as the doors slid closed. Freedom, she thought as the elevator began to move down.

Minutes later, she was out on the sidewalk, her sandaled feet smacking against the concrete as she walked. With the single minded purpose of a woman scorned (perhaps pissed was more apt), Sakura stalked the street until she found herself at the familiar building. It was a gorgeous building, all modern chrome and steel that stretched at least thirty stories into the air, though it could be more. She had never been good at estimating such things.

Before she could question her actions, she charged ahead, approaching the doorman who was already moving to open the door for her.

"Ms. Haruno, welcome back," he said with a small bow.

Sakura slowed.

"Thank you . . . have we, uh, met?" She asked, studying his face.

The doorman laughed, ushering her inside and closing the door behind her. The air conditioning hit her like a wall and she almost sighed in pleasure. He strode around her to reach the lobby's white and black marble desk and reached for a black phone that sat on the raised counter.

"Apologies Ms. Haruno. I didn't mean to startle you by being overly familiar. I was on duty the other week when Mr. Uchiha asked me to retrieve some items for you. I simply recognized you."

"Ah," she said, her face burning red. Right. She had forgotten about that. She suddenly felt very stupid. Why the hell had she come here? What exactly did she think was going to happen?

But before she could stop him, the doorman picked up the phone, dialed, and after a pause, spoke into the receiver.

"Mr. Uchiha, I have Ms. Haruno at the front desk, shall I send her up? . . . Yes. No, I don't think so, would you like me to—yes, Mr. Uchiha, I understand."

He pulled the phone away then, holding it out to her. She eyed it like one eyed a poisonous snake.

"He'd like to speak with you," the doorman said with a smile.

Of course he did, she thought as she cautiously took the phone. The doorman gave her a wink and moved away from the desk and back to the front door, allowing her some semblance of privacy.

Sakura took a breath, closing her eyes. Her instincts told her to slam the receiver back down, but she brought it instead to her face, racking her mind for a good lie to explain why she was at his home. Again.

"Hi," she said finally. Good opening line she internally berated himself. Real smooth.

After a pause, Sasuke spoke, his voice level and smooth even through the phone.

"Stalking me now Ms. Haruno? Or did you just _forget_ your keys yet again?" He said in a bored voice, emphasizing the word forget in such a way she could practically see him raising his fingers in the air to make bunny ears.

"Oh, fuck you," Sakura growled, and she slammed the receiver down. She stood there, anger coursing through her body. Yep. Total mistake.

She turned to go, but stopped, whipping back around. No. This was _not_ how tonight was going to end. She strode back over to the phone and punched the redial button.

It barely rang before Sasuke picked it up again.

"What?" He asked, his voice tight with annoyance.

"You are unbelievable," she hissed into the receiver, glancing over at the doorman who was looking studiously out the door as if he couldn't hear a word.

"I'm unbelievable?" Sasuke snapped back, "you showed up at my place out of the blue Sakura, and _I'm_ unbelievable?"

"You don't even know why I'm here," she said, her voice a barely restrained hiss. "You live two blocks away from Naruto. For all you know something could have happened and I am getting you."

"Did something happen?" He asked, sounding unconcerned.

"Well . . . no, but it could have!" She said quickly.

She heard a breathy sigh on the other end of the line.

"Well if nothing happened, then why are you here Sakura?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She just blinked, holding the phone to her face, her mind blank.

When she didn't respond, Sasuke spoke again, his voice louder this time. Angrier.

"Sakura, what do you _want_?"

She frowned at his tone.

What did she _want_? She wanted to yell at him, that's what she wanted. She wanted to push at his chest and shout at him for the way he teased her and touched her like he had every right to, even though he didn't.

She wanted to scream at him for the way he had just left, without a word, leaving her cold and wanting more.

She wanted to see if he was actually the cold, cold man he pretended to be, or whether he was the warm, passionate, playful man she could have sworn she had glimpsed mere hours ago.

She wanted him to fucking kiss her.

She wanted . . . she wanted him.

Sakura closed her eyes in a tight grimace. She had been down this road before. She knew how it ended.

"Nothing," she said finally, her voice quiet, "I want nothing, Sasuke."

And with that, she hung up the phone, turned on heel, and walked out the door.

* * *

Author Note:

Oh my wonderful readers I am _so_ sorry that update took so long! I had an extraordinarily busy month at work that required many late nights at the office, ect., so I just didn't have the energy to get you a quality update. This chapter went through several revisions as well before I was at least semi-satisfied with it, so truly, I apologize on the delay. I try to update every week, but if I will be late, I always post on my profile a story status update.

This was a shorter one as well, I know, but trust me, plenty of action to come in the very near future.

As always, thank you for your lovely reviews and follows and just the general good vibes you send my way. Have a great weekend everyone!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

* * *

After stalking away from Sasuke's apartment—half hoping, half fearing he would come after her (surprise, he hadn't)—Sakura returned home feeling embarrassed and more than a little pitiful. She spent the entire taxi ride home thinking of a hundred perfect things she should have said to Sasuke but didn't, regretting ever going to his condo in the first place. Truly, what had she been expecting from him? An apology? A declaration of affection? Please. His response had been utterly in character. Cold. Detached. Unconcerned with offering any explanation for his behavior.

"What is wrong with me?" Sakura muttered under her breath as she gently banged her head against the car window. Here she was—yet again—obsessing over someone who clearly never spared her two thoughts.

"You're better than this," she whispered angrily. "Get your shit together Haruno."

"You alright miss?" The driver called hesitantly from the front seat, his eyes searching her face as though ascertaining whether he had unwittingly picked up a psychopath.

Sakura stopped the assault on her head, suddenly aware she had been talking out loud.

"Boy problems," she offered with a halting laugh, giving the driver a slightly manic smile.

He seemed to relax at that, nodding at her knowingly in the rear view mirror, clearly well acquainted with that answer.

"Don't waste your energy on him love. I doubt he deserves you."

Right on the money, Sakura thought with a cringe as the car sped through the city streets. Several minutes later, after she had paid the cabbie and added a generous tip for hazard pay, Sakura quickly ascended the stairs to her flat, unlocked the door, and immediately disrobed, not wanting to spend another second in that stupid dress. She stood half naked in the entryway to her flat, clothed only in her bra and panties, staring down at the blue fabric nestled at her feet.

"A perfectly good waste of a cute outfit," she said with a sad sigh as she reached down to grab the thing. She made her way to the bedroom to toss the dress deep into her closet, eyes narrowing as she passed the bouquet of white flowers sitting on the kitchen island. God dammit. She had forgotten about those.

Sakura changed quickly into faded flannel jammies and returned to the kitchen, contemplating whether to toss the offending stems. On the one hand, Ino would become suspicious if she returned to find the flowers gone. On the other hand, the flowers were a staunch reminder that Sakura would be forced to work with Sasuke for the foreseeable future. Well, that and she had been kidnapped, forced into a van, and apparently drawn the interest of a mob boss. You know, a normal Thursday night for Sasuke.

Grabbing the vase firmly with one hand and pushing open the trashcan lid with the other, Sakura made her decision. She watched as the flowers hit the pile of rubbish, nodding to herself as she replaced the vase and pulled the now full bag of trash out of the bin. She would just cobble together a lie to tell Ino—perhaps claim she brought the flowers to work or something. She slipped her sandals back on and quickly carried the heavy bag to the garbage chute, waving nonchalantly at a neighbor as they passed in the hallway.

Back in the apartment, Sakura threw a bag of popcorn in the microwave, poured herself a rather large glass of red wine, and finally settled on the couch, resolved not to let Sasuke ruin her entire evening.

Tonight hadn't exactly been fun, but after much thought, Sakura decided it had been necessary. Though she was loath to admit it, certain feelings had begun to creep back where Sasuke was concerned. It was time to quash those. There would be no more teasing. No more tequila. No more late night walks. No more back hallways, and absolutely, and she meant this, _absolutely_ no more dancing.

She would treat Sasuke like any other other colleague. Nothing more.

* * *

On Monday morning, Sasuke stood outside Sakura's closed office door, hands stuffed into his suit pockets, lips drawn in a thin line. Just knock, he told himself roughly as he stared at the wood grain. Just raise your hand and knock.

Really, he reasoned with himself when his hands didn't move, there was no reason to feel this way. He hadn't done anything wrong. Sakura had come to his house, same as he had come to hers. The only difference was he had no idea what she had wanted. Because she had hung up on him. Twice.

"Very mature Sakura," he muttered under his breath. For all he knew, she had had some important update on the case. Or had received another message from Itsumi. Or had wanted him to buzz her up and pick up where they had left off, his body flush against hers, the only sound their ragged breath as his hand stroked its way up her body. He closed his eyes, forcing the memory away.

Whatever the reason, all of Sunday he had prowled around his living room, unable to shake the feeling that _something_ had gone horribly awry the night before. Much had of course. Itsumi's flowers for a start. But it wasn't the white blossoms that kept sticking in his mind. It was the imagined image of Sakura standing in the great expanse of his downstairs lobby; phone to ear, eyes cast down as she delivered that empty word—nothing.

He grimaced, regret and discomfort threading through him as he stared at the closed door. Just knock and find out what she had wanted, he told himself again. And then put it to bed.

"Um, excuse me Mr. Uchiha," a weak voice said to his right. Surprised, Sasuke looked down sharply at the small woman, and she took a quick step back, her wide eyes almost trembling in their sockets.

"Yes?" He asked coolly, eying Sakura's assistant with irritation. She was disturbing his brooding.

"Goo-ood morning, Mr. Uchiha. Do you need to talk with Sakura?"

No, I'm just standing outside her door to admire the woodwork, he thought darkly.

"Yes. Is she in today?"

"She is, but she's occupied at the moment. Could I take a message for her?"

"Is she on a call?"

"Well, no, but—"

"I'll talk with her now then," Sasuke said, waiting for the woman to leave. When she didn't move, he raised an eyebrow. "You can go."

Sakura's assistant stared up at him, clearly unhappy with the situation, but evidently too timid to tell him no. Slowly, she turned away, looking back over her shoulder at him as she walked to her cubicle. Sasuke faced the door, and aware of the assistant's keen eyes, raised his hand to give the wood a hard tap. No use putting it off any longer.

Through the door he heard a mumbled voice, followed by a loud "come in." Turning the handle, Sasuke entered, and paused, door ajar in his hand.

"Sasuke," Orochimaru said in greeting, turning his head to look at him, "what a pleasure."

Sasuke darted his eyes to Sakura, who was sitting at her desk, eyes narrowed slightly as she regarded him. He couldn't quite place her expression, but she looked . . . almost annoyed with him. Her. Annoyed with him. As though it was him, not her, who had so confusingly stalked away from his home.

Ignoring that, Sasuke looked back to Orochimaru, who was staring up at him from Sakura's guest chair, his pale, thin lips twisted into a small smile.

"Apologies," Sasuke said, addressing the man, "I didn't realize Sakura had company."

"Oh, no need to apologize to me Sasuke. It's Sakura's office after all," Orochimaru purred, his eyes darting back at her. Sakura offered Orochimaru her own, thin-lipped smile, and Sasuke felt his hand tighten painfully on the door handle.

"Sakura," Sasuke said evenly, willing his hand to relax, "when you're available, I would like a word please. It's about the case."

"No, stay Sasuke. We were just about done here anyway. Sakura, I appreciate your time. You'll think over what we discussed, won't you?" Orochimaru asked, rising to his full height in one fluid motion.

"I will, thank you Orochimaru," Sakura said, nodding at him. Orochimaru smirked and turned, heading for the door. Sasuke stepped aside to allow the man to pass, meeting his eyes with a hard glare.

Orochimaru just continued to smile, giving Sasuke a quick wink as he moved through the doorframe. The minute Orochimaru was safely over the threshold and down the hall, Sasuke shut Sakura's door behind him with a firm push. He turned to face her, and she looked at him expectantly.

"Yes?" She asked as he walked to stand in front of her desk.

"Why were you talking with Orochimaru?"

"I'm not sure that's any of your business," Sakura stated calmly, looking away from him to log in to her computer.

"Everything to do with this firm is my business, Sakura."

"No, it isn't," she said, her gaze fixed on the computer screen, fingers moving to clack over the keyboard.

"Yes," Sasuke pushed, leaning over the desk until he hovered just inches away from her face, "it is."

Her fingers slowed, and she looked up, bright green eyes meeting his in brazen challenge. Without meaning to, his mind slipped back to the hallway, remembering how her eyes had glittered with the same sexy confidence.

Sakura's eyes darkened slightly, and he wondered with deep satisfaction if she was remembering their activities on Saturday as well. But as soon as it was there, the darkness receded, replaced with a flicking flame he realized too late signaled danger.

"Sasuke," Sakura began, her voice smooth and low, "believe it or not, but you are an associate at this law firm, same as me. I don't answer to you, I answer to the partnership. Now, either tell me why you're here, or get out of my office."

Sasuke frowned, but shifted back, giving her room.

"Sakura," he said sarcastically, as though speaking to a child, "Orochimaru is my partner. Same as Tsunade is yours. His business is my business."

"Then if Orochimaru wants you to know this business, he'll tell you, won't he?" Sakura said sweetly, leaning forward onto her elbows as she offered him a frosty smile. "Now, I'm in and out of meetings all day. If you need to speak with me, go make an appointment with my assistant."

He quirked an eyebrow. Make an appointment? She couldn't be serious.

"What's wrong with now?"

"The world is a mysterious place," she responded with an uncaring shrug, returning to her typing. "Make an appointment."

"You're mad at me," he said slowly as he looked her over, studying her form. She snorted, but offered no other response.

"Sakura," he began again, watching her for a reaction, "why did you come to my home on Saturday?"

"I thought you said you wanted to talk about the case," she said, her voice even, ignoring his question.

"I do, but first I want to know why you felt the need to bother me Saturday night," he pushed, still watching her face.

She continued to type, but after a prolonged moment, looked over at him, eyes narrowed.

"Fine," she said briskly. "The reason I stopped by is because I thought we should clarify our little misunderstanding at Naruto's party. That's all."

"Misunderstanding?" He repeated in an amused voice, knowing full well what she had meant.

"The one where your hand went up my dress," she said frostily.

"Yes, I gathered that. But you're acting like you were an unwillingly participant," he said with a raised brow. "I recall asking you whether I should stop."

"And you should have. That I didn't tell you to stop was a mistake on my part," she replied simply. "It won't happen again."

"Are you sure about that?" He heard himself asking, eyes still locked with hers. But she didn't blush. She just looked at him, face impassive.

"Yes," she responded, her voice firm. "I am. We work together Sasuke. So, let's work. What do you want to discuss about the case?"

It was the answer he should have wanted. He had, after all, left the party for this very reason. It had been a mistake. For many reasons. Clearly, happily, Sakura was in total agreement. Yet, as he held her eyes, he was unsatisfied with her response. He had never been particularly adept at judging others emotions, but beyond her calm demeanor he could sense discomfort. Practically taste sharp anger on his tongue, like bitter pennies coating the base of his mouth. And there was something else, something he couldn't name, though it felt heavy and onerous in the room between them.

Pushing down the uneasy feeling within himself, Sasuke took a seat in Orochimaru's vacated chair. He had never asked for Sakura's feelings. Whatever they were, he didn't—he shouldn't—care. If she wanted to talk the case, they would talk the case.

"What's the progress on the autopsy report?" He asked, breaking her gaze to look around at the many trinkets cluttering her bookshelves.

"We should have it soon," Sakura said, turning back to the computer, "Shino usually turns reports around quite quickly. I'll check-in with him though."

"Have you used him before on cases?"

"Yes, he's assisted on a few wrongful death actions. He's very good. Precise."

Sasuke nodded.

"Good. While we wait on our witness source we'll need to pursue other options."

Sakura didn't respond, just typed, presumably drafting an email to her expert. After a minute, she hit send, and turned back to him.

"How long do you think Itsumi will take?"

Sasuke shrugged, eyes focusing on what appeared to be a stress ball shaped like a kidney that was sitting on Sakura's desk, just to the left of her phone. He reached for it, grabbing the organ before leaning back in his chair, hand experimentally squishing the foam.

"However long she needs. She could call today. She could call in a month. Information gathering—good gathering that is—takes time."

"Should I expect any more gifts in the meantime?" Sakura asked with a sarcastic little breath, watching his hand as he continued to pump the oddly shaped ball. "Stop that, it's a souvenir from a case."

"There will be no more gifts," he said, ignoring her instruction. He would make sure of that.

Though he had never extensively tested what power he might have in his family's old world, Sasuke was well aware that should he ever want to assume his father's mantle, he could. There were ample allies left more than eager to return to old regime. That alone should have been enough to keep Itsumi in check. And yet, she had threatened not only him, but also Sakura. Someone that—whether Sasuke liked it or not—Itsumi clearly perceived as belonging to him. Someone she evidently thought had potential.

As though hearing his thoughts, Sakura tilted her head, eyebrows pulling together.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I'm an Uchiha," he offered simply, holding her eyes.

"So people just do what you want?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"If they know what's good for them."

"Right . . . ." Sakura said drily. At that moment, her computer binged, and she jumped.

"That was fast," she muttered, opening the message and giving it a quick read. When she was done, she glanced back at Sasuke. "My source is far more timely than yours. Do you have time for a little field trip this afternoon?"

"I thought you were in and out of meetings all day," he mocked, "shouldn't I check with your assistant?"

She gave him a wry smile, turning back to the screen.

"I'll take that as a yes. Shino wants to meet at the crime scene this afternoon. I'm available after one if that works for you."

"It does," Sasuke said, reaching with his non-stress ball holding hand to grab his phone. He opened his calendar, double-checked that his schedule was in fact clear, and added a new appointment. "I assume there is a purpose to this?"

"No Sasuke," Sakura sighed, her fingers typing out a reply email, "I just like to waste our time."

Sasuke smirked, standing up from the chair, and tossed the foam ball to her. She caught it one handedly, eyes narrowing as she inspected it for damage.

"I'll see you this afternoon then," he called, moving to go.

"One o'clock," she called back, still examining the item. "And we're not walking this time. Call us a damn car."

* * *

"All I'm saying Sasuke is that it was a dick move. You didn't even _try_ to say goodbye. I was worried about you!"

"You weren't worried about me," Sasuke sighed, twisting noodles around his chopsticks. They had been having the same argument for the last ten minutes. Had he known Naruto was going to be this irritating, he wouldn't have bothered to invite him to lunch.

"Well, maybe not worried exactly, but it was still rude."

"For the tenth and final time, I'm sorry I left your stupid little party," Sasuke said, stuffing the noodles into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed, wondering not for the first time why he always let Naruto choose the restaurant. "I'm buying you lunch aren't I? Accept my apology already and move on idiot."

"You're the idiot," Naruto said through a mouthful of food, eyeing Sasuke from across the booth. He slurped down the last of his noodles and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, ignoring the pile of napkins Sasuke had purposefully placed by his bowl in an attempt to limit such behavior. "Which, Sasuke, brings me to my next point. Are you sleeping with Sakura?"

Sasuke choked slightly, smacking his chest as he glared up at Naruto.

"You have got to stop asking me that question," he snapped when he had regained his breath, reaching for a glass of water.

"Oh, don't get defensive," Naruto sung with a wide grin, batting his eyelashes at Sasuke. "A little birdie told me Shikamaru caught you two making out in the party room, and then a few hours after you left, Sakura left too. Alone. Funnily enough, she had no interest in going out to the bars with the rest of us. According to my little birdie, she spent the entire night brooding over a certain someone for leaving the party so early."

"And was this little birdie an annoying blonde with unnecessarily long hair," Sasuke muttered as he took a drink of water. So, Sakura had been brooding over him had she? And, of course, everyone now knew about it. She must be so pleased, he thought with empty amusement as he took another drink.

"Maybe," Naruto said, wiggling his eyebrows, "and she also said—"

"I don't care what Ino said, she's wrong," Sasuke said, cutting him off. "We weren't making out, we were talking about a case. I left because I was sick of socializing with your little friends, and I have no idea what Sakura did after that," he lied, looking down at his bowl. He pushed it away, appetite lost. "Nothing is happening between me and Sakura. Besides, I thought you didn't want me with her anyway?"

"Noooo," Naruto corrected, leaning back in the booth with crossed arms, "I didn't want you to take _advantage_ of her after a night of drinking. But she can take advantage of you all she wants," he smiled, nodding his head as he reached for Sasuke's half-empty bowl, dragging it towards himself before tucking in.

"Hinata says you make a cute couple," he added as he chewed. "Personally, I don't see it, but hey, to each their own. Not everyone can be as attractive as me."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he watched Naruto tip the bowl to drink the broth, a trickle of warm liquid spilling down his chin and dripping onto his previously unmarred white shirt.

"You're a real Romeo Naruto," Sasuke said, watching with distaste as Naruto smacked his lips, putting down the bowl. Naruto reached for a napkin and dabbed at his shirt, smiling.

"So I'm told. Hey, for this ball thing, a bunch of us were talking about getting rooms for the night. It's at that fancy hotel right downtown, so the rooms won't be cheap, but this way we can just keep the party going upstairs once the event ends. You in?"

"No," Sasuke said, reaching into his billfold to pull out a few notes.

"Come on! Sakura even said she'd get a room, and she is a notorious penny pincher."

"No," Sasuke repeated, tossing money on the table. "I'm planning to go for the minimum amount of time Orochimaru requires it, and then I'm going home." Especially, he added to himself, if Sakura was getting a room.

* * *

Author Note:

So short! So late! So sorry! Be kind, the real world has been chaos. The next installment is well on its way as well, but I wanted to at least get something out now rather than wait another week, so I'm splitting it up. Let's call this a Sasuke-POV chapter shall we? Light on plot, heavy on brooding.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

* * *

As the elevator shot down the shaft, Sakura tapped her fingers impatiently against the steel handrail, glancing at her watch. Thanks to a last minute meeting with Shizune and Tsunade, she was running about ten minutes late for her afternoon meeting with Sasuke. Not that she minded keeping Sasuke waiting. Oh no. She didn't mind that at all. But it wasn't fair to Shino, and it certainly wasn't professional.

Tsunade, in all of her stern glory, had stormed into Sakura's office at quarter past eleven, an apologetic looking Shizune trailing behind her holding an overflowing manila folder. Sakura had expected Tsunade to launch into some diatribe about one of their cases, but Tsunade had wanted to talk about something even worse—the damn ball. It was only two weeks away, and it soon became apparent Tsunade had been sitting on much of the necessary decision-making.

In a disturbingly gentle voice, Shizune had caught Sakura up on the status of the planning, noting pointedly that much of the planning had, in fact, been done. Tsunade had just failed to ok the expenses, stalling the entire process. Sighing heavily, Sakura and Shizune worked through the large folder of invoices, either placing papers in front of Tsunade to sign or placing them aside for further review if they included unexplained or suspiciously high items.

"I'm a lawyer, not a party planner," Sakura had hissed to Shizune as they examined a rather hefty invoice for an ice sculpture that doubled as a luge.

"We hired party planners, but Tsunade still has to sign off on the invoices," Shizune had hissed back as she grabbed the invoice from Sakura's hand to pass to Tsunade. "We both know we need to review the bills because she won't."

"What was that Shizune?" Tsunade snapped as she blindly signed the paper before tossing it onto the done pile.

"Nothing Tsunade," the women had sung back in bored voices as they continued to rifle through the papers spread out on Sakura's desk.

And so it went for the next hour until Shizune had finally gathered up the last signed paper and headed for the door, walking towards accounting to have the invoices processed. Tsunade had stood slowly, crossing her arms over her ample chest as she glanced down at her associate with a raised brow.

"I heard Orochimaru spoke with you this morning."

"Yes," Sakura had replied slowly, swiveling in her chair to better face her boss, "he did."

"And what did he want?"

Before responding, Sakura had taken a tentative sweep of the room, looking for anything within easy reach that Tsunade might be able to destroy. After scooting a well-loved coffee mug to the other side of her desk, she had looked back at her mentor, mentally preparing for the worst.

"He asked if I had any interest in joining the criminal law group."

As expected, Tsunade's face had tightened, her next words almost unrecognizable as she bit them out between clenched teeth.

"And what did you tell that snake?"

"I said I was happy working with you," she had responded quickly, eyes glancing protectively towards her coffee mug.

Tsunade had stared at Sakura for a long moment before giving her a curt nod, face relaxing.

"Well fine then."

Sakura had nodded back, and Tsunade had left, leaving Sakura to her thoughts. It hadn't been difficult for Sakura to refuse Orochimaru's offer, especially knowing working with Orochimaru meant working more with Orochimaru's favorite son. But knowing Tsunade would flay her alive if she had said yes certainly hadn't hurt her resolve either.

That said, a small part of her had wanted to say yes. It felt nice to be wanted. For her talent to be recognized by someone other than Tsunade. Plus, it would have really stuck it to Sasuke. But she was happy with where she was, even it meant dealing with a boss who wasted her lunch hour messing about with unpaid invoices.

The elevator doors dinged open and Sakura jumped, mind jumping back to the present. She let out a heavy breath, squaring her shoulders as she prepped herself for her next Sasuke interaction. The first one had gone quite well in her opinion. Now she just needed to keep up the good work.

"Ice queen," she whispered to herself as she raised her chin high. "You are an ice queen."

Reassured, Sakura strolled out, heels clacking satisfactorily against the marble floor as she passed through the elevator bank and into the lobby. As expected, Sasuke was standing by the security desk, arms crossed sharply across his charcoal suit in clear annoyance.

"You're late," he said quietly as she neared, eyes dipping almost imperceptibly to her heel clad feet before leaping up to her face.

"Then we better get a move on," she replied briskly as she passed him, eyes focused straight ahead. After a beat she heard his feet follow after her until he was at her side, hands pushed into his pants pockets. Damn him and his long legs.

They walked across the wide lobby in silence, moving through the crowd of people returning from lunch. She narrowed her eyes as a throng of young women passed, their little group erupting into giggles when they spotted Sasuke. She opened her mouth to make a snide comment about his fan club, but stopped herself with an internal shake of disapproval. No teasing, she chastised herself. Ice queens did not tease.

When they reached the front doors, she saw Sasuke take an extra long step, arm moving to push open the door for her. Purposefully—perhaps immaturely—she ignored his arm and went through the door to her left, eyes watering as she stepped into the bright light. She could hear the door swing shut behind her before another door creaked open. As quickly as it left, she could feel Sasuke's presence at her back again, the unmistakable burn of his eyes on her back.

Ignoring him, she walked further onto the plaza, looking around for one of the familiar company town cars waiting in front of the building. Seeing none, she stopped, frowning.

"I thought I told you to call a car?" She said frostily as Sasuke come to stand at her side.

Out of her peripheral she saw him turn slightly to look at her, his hand raising to show a black key fob perched between his bent pointer finger and thumb. He pushed a button, and she jumped slightly as a shrill beep sounded just ahead of her. Sakura looked over, noticing the now familiar black BMW parked across the street at a meter, its paint gleaming in the strong summer sun.

"I guess you're driving then," she snipped as she started towards the crosswalk, rolling her eyes.

Sasuke followed silently behind her, and when the light changed, they crossed, weaving their way through the stream of crossing people. She could still feel him at her back, his presence overwhelming even in open air.

When Sakura reached the car, she made her way to the passenger door, reaching for the handle. Pale, aristocratic fingers beat her there, and with a smirk, Sasuke pulled open the door for her. For a moment, she debated ignoring the open door and sitting in the backseat, but it would only make the car ride even more uncomfortable than it already promised to be. So, she turned to look up at him, forcing a smile onto her face, sure this gesture was payback for her earlier stunt at the lobby doors.

"Thank you," she said as she lowered herself into the seat, holding his dark eyes until she was fully seated. Wordlessly, Sasuke shut the door, and Sakura watched as he walked around the front of the car until he at the driver's side.

A moment later, he was in his seat and the car was pulling into traffic, slowly creeping down the street to join the line of cars waiting at the red streetlight. Sakura leaned back, watching Sasuke drive; secretly enjoying the way the smooth leather seat caressed the back of her exposed calves.

Surprisingly, despite having sat in the hot sun, the car was already quite cool, as though the A/C had been running for several minutes. It occurred to her he must have moved the car to the metered spot from his parking garage. Their building had a garage, but spaces were reserved for partners and clients. Associates and staff had to park at one of the private garages much, much further down the block.

"Do you park in the building?" She heard herself ask before she could glue her lips together. "Must be another perk of having your name on the door," she added hastily, lest he think she was trying to make pleasant conversation.

Sasuke gave her a sideways glance before turning his attention back to the road, seemingly unaffected by her comment. After a beat, he spoke, his voice low and smooth, almost like velvet dragging across her ear.

"Careful Sakura, you'll turn as green as your eyes if you allow jealousy to fester like that."

Her breath caught, and she couldn't help but sneak another glance at him, eyes wide at his teasing comment. To her annoyance, there was the barest hint of a smile on his lips, as though he knew exactly the effect his little comment had had on her icy resolve. He glanced at her suddenly, and she darted her eyes to the right, avoiding his stare.

"I'm surprised you pay enough attention to anyone other than yourself to notice the color of their eyes," she said coolly, eyes trained out the window. "The effort must be so draining for you."

"Yes," he replied, voice still velvety smooth, "but given how many times I caught you staring at me in law school, it was hard to forget the color."

Inwardly, Sakura paled. Outwardly, she snapped her head to the left, staring at him dead on, daring him to look at her.

"Yes, Sasuke, I had a crush on you in law school. I must have hit my head to have ever thought someone who found me so irritating was worthy of my attention. Happily, I've since been cured of my affliction, so worry no more."

With that, Sakura reached for the radio knob and toggled it on, flipping until she hit KPR. The soothing voice of Dira Wood filled the car, and Sakura sunk into her chair, closing her eyes as she reminded herself to take a few deep breaths. Ice queen, she told herself again. Calm down.

But after a few minutes, the volume level dropped, and her eyes snapped open. Sasuke moved his hand away from the console, eyes meeting hers briefly before he looked back to the road.

"I didn't find you _that_ annoying," he said, the smirk gone from his face.

"Oh you did too," she replied with a bored sigh, closing her eyes again. "I heard you say so yourself on several occasions. Now turn the radio back up, I was listening to that."

A moment later, the radio buzzed back to life, before suddenly dropping again.

"I contract with the garage on East 27th and 5th," she heard Sasuke say.

Eyes still closed, she frowned, feeling her eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"What?" She asked, her voice tense even to her own ears.

"You asked if I parked in the building. I don't, I park down the street at a garage. But I had lunch with Naruto, and when we came back I parked close so you wouldn't have to walk."

She opened her eyes then, turning slowly to examine his face, a small frown affixed to hers. That had been . . . thoughtful, she thought to herself begrudgingly as she turned to again look out her window.

"Am I supposed to say thank you?" She said icily when he didn't speak further.

Sasuke didn't respond to that, and silence settled between them as they crept through the city. Sasuke flipped the radio back on, and Sakura reached for her phone, eager to erect a barrier between them. She scrolled through her unread emails, half listening to the radio while she made a mental to-do list for when she got back to the office. Tsunade had addressed several emails as "urgent," though Sakura knew from experience the vast majority of the tasks did not actually need to get done at this precise moment. In addition to poor money habits, Tsunade had an air for the dramatics.

Finally, ten minutes later, Sasuke parallel parked in front of a small corner store with frosted glass windows set behind sturdy looking steel bars. Large, faded white letters ran across the top of the building, spelling out Hiro Convenience Store. Several men in worn jeans and bright orange construction vests leaned against the brick front, smoking and laughing as they ate what Sakura assumed was a late lunch before heading back to work. Reluctantly, she glanced over at Sasuke, who was likewise scoping the scene, his sharp eyes darting around.

"Where's your expert?" He asked quietly, still examining the place.

"He said he'd meet us in the back alley," Sakura said as she unbuckled and pushed the door open before Sasuke could beat her to it. She stretched as she stood, carefully avoiding bits of the crumbling curb as she put her heeled feet down on the ground. As she moved, she heard loud whooping from the sidewalk, and she frowned as one of the men leaned forward at her, his eyes widening as he openly assessed her.

"Hey baby, looking good!"

Ignoring him, Sakura shut the car door and stepped onto the sidewalk, straightening her jacket and skirt. Idiots, she thought to herself as she lifted her purse onto her shoulder.

"Come on baby, what's the matter? That your boyfriend or something?"

Still ignoring him, Sakura began to walk as confidently as she could towards the tight alley that ran between the store and the next-door building. She heard a car door close behind her, and Sasuke was suddenly at her side, a little too close for comfort as they walked. She tried to step ahead, but he just matched her stride until they were quickly down the side alley and around the corner to the back of the building.

Sakura smiled as a familiar face—complete with signature sunglasses—came into sight. Shino stood in the middle of the lane, a large camera hoisted to his sunglassed-eye as he moved around the space, snapping photos from various angles. As they approached, she waved a hand to get his attention, not wanting to startle him.

Finally, she saw him turn their way, the camera dropping from his face to hand about his neck on the wide strap.

"Ah, Sakura. You've arrived," he said as he reached for the strap, removing the camera and returning it to his pack sitting by the faded green dumpster.

"Afternoon Shino, sorry we're late," Sakura said as she walked forward, hand out stretched to greet the man. "Shino, this is Sasuke Uchiha, my colleague on this matter. Sasuke, meet Shino Aburame."

The two men shook hands firmly before coming apart, Sasuke turning to Sakura, clearly expecting her to drive the meeting. For some reason, it made her heart squeeze a little painfully. She _should_ drive the meeting after all. Sakura turned back to Shino, smiling widely at him as she put down her purse by his bag.

"Thanks again for assisting on the case Shino. So, what do you have for us?"

Not one for unnecessary words, Shino hitched a thumb behind him at a closed door, presumably to the back of the store building.

"To begin, I looked over the files you sent me Sakura, and I agree with your assessment of the autopsy. It was haphazardly done. That no toxicology results appear is troubling. It certainly warrants further investigation, including potentially exhuming the body for another autopsy. But that's not why I called you here today."

Reaching into his bag, Shino withdrew a portfolio with several pages of glossy photos inside. He lifted the top sheet into the air, positioning it until the image perfectly aligned with the closed store door. Sakura watched curiously, unfazed by the grizzly scene depicted in the crime scene photo.

"As you see," Shino said, turning back to look at them, "from the photos we can see that the victim's body was found here, laying face down on the ground in the middle of the alley. His head is pointed towards the door, his feet pointed towards the back wall. His arms are straight at his sides."

Sakura nodded in agreement, and Shino nodded back, continuing his lecture.

"Sakura, would you agree that the autopsy results and photos indicate that the victim's neck was cut from behind with a knife?"

"Yes," Sasuke answered, "apparently using a knife that was later recovered from our client's residence."

Shino shook his head, lowering the photo in his hand.

"Ah, that's another thing. That knife can't be the murder weapon. The blade isn't a match for these wounds."

Sakura blinked, taken back. She hadn't considered that. She walked forward, reaching out with her hand for the photos. Shino handed the pile to her, and she flipped through them until she found a close up shot of the body. She lifted the photo to her face, examining the slash across the man's throat with interest.

"What makes you say that Shino?" She said, eyes not leaving the photo. "The medical examiner concluded on his report that the knife was a match."

"Either the examiner is a complete idiot, or he lied. The measurements of the wound listed on the report are far smaller than any mark your client's knife could have made. The blade that made this wound was delicate. Thin. More like a stiletto or switchblade than a common kitchen knife."

"But skin is elastic Shino, it would have naturally shrunk when the knife withdrew. How can we be sure?"

"You're not wrong Sakura, but even so, no medical examiner could have said that with such conviction that your client's knife was an exact match."

"Perhaps not," Sakura murmured to herself as she examined the photo, wishing Shino had brought one of the photos that had a ruler next to the injury so she could see the size of the mark for herself.

"What was the other thing you wanted to tell us?" Sasuke asked from behind her. "The reason we needed to come all the way out here?"

"Yes, that. Sakura, return to the first photo. What do you see on the ground?"

Sakura looked up at the men, who stared at her expectantly. Quickly, she flipped back to the original photo, turning it so Sasuke could look with her. She felt the man come a step closer to look over her shoulder.

"You mean other than the dead body?" Sasuke said dryly, crossing his arms as he looked at the photo with her.

Ignoring Sasuke's flippant remark, Sakura edged the image closer, her keen eyes darting over the glossy image. After a moment, she frowned, unable to discern exactly what Shino wanted her to see.

"I don't see anything," she admitted, glancing at Shino. "What am I missing?"

"No Sakura, that exactly it. There's nothing. Now, stay right where you are, I want you to show you what I mean. If you would move please, Sasuke."

Sakura smirked at Shino's direction, and she felt Sasuke step away and Shino replace him. She lowered the photos, glancing back at him.

"Eyes ahead," Shino said, and she returned her sight to the back door of the store. She wondered if the employees inside were aware of them out in the back alley. They were probably used to strange sights though, she thought to herself as Shino raised his hands to slowly position her back a few steps, eyes focused on the ground until she was standing several feet from the building.

"Alright Sakura," Shino said, stepping to face her, "imagine you are the victim. You just threw away the trash, and you've turned to go inside. The murderer supposedly comes up behind you and with a thin, exact blade, slices your throat right here." Shino lifted a finger across Sakura's throat, running across her neck with a precise cut. "What did he hit?"

Sakura raised a hand to touch her throat, tracing the line Shino had made across her skin, thinking back to anatomy class. They had, after all, met in the same master's program.

"The carotid arteries," she said slowly, flexing her memory. She looked back at Shino and raised the photo again, examining the view of the ground around the victim's body. "There should have been arterial spray," she said with excitement, looking down at the real ground, her hand coming up and directing outward, mimicking the spray of blood. "Perhaps not much, there's no spray on the ground."

"Precisely," Shino nodded. "If he was standing right where you are, there should have been blood in this general area."

"Shino," she continued, voice rushing as she began to piece together his point, "there's practically _no_ blood on the ground. His shirt is drenched in these photos but the ground is bone dry. I didn't even notice before, but you're right. And look at how his body is positioned. Who falls like that? His body is practically a straight line. Almost . . . almost like it's—"

"Posed?" Shino interrupted, coming to stand at her side. "I agree. I don't think your victim was killed in this alley."

"Could he have been killed in the store and his body dumped out here?" Sasuke said from behind them. Sakura turned to look at him, shaking her head.

"Again, where's the blood? If he bled out, there should be evidence of that on the ground, but there's no trail of blood out here. And if he were killed in the store, there would have been a lot of blood to clean up. As far as we know, the store was clean. No . . . I think Shino's right, he wasn't killed here," Sakura said slowly, thumbing through the photos, inventorying each with enthusiastic eyes.

She looked up at Sasuke excitedly, her heart pounding in her chest at the discovery. He stared at her intently; face unreadable.

"May I?" He said, holding out his hand for the photos. She handed them to him before looking back at her expert, very pleased with his work.

"Shino," Sakura said, "do you think you can get us a preliminary report typed up laying out your thoughts? I'd like to have Tsunade take a look as soon as possible."

Shino nodded sharply.

"Of course, Sakura. Whatever you need."

She smiled and turned back to Sasuke, who was looking through the photos, a small frown on his perfect lips as he glanced up, studying the ground as though trying to picture the body laid out in front of them. Sakura watched him, and after a moment, he turned to her, his face all business.

"How would someone have gotten the body back here?" He said, gesturing to the ground in front of him.

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking down at the blank spot on the ground with him.

"If Akari Hino was killed somewhere else and his body deposited here, how would the killer have brought his body back without anyone seeing them? This is a busy area, even in the middle of the night."

Sakura's smile faltered, and she looked around the alley, trying to imagine someone dragging a body down the length of the building.

"A car?" She offered weakly, unsure of her answer.

"You think one could fit?" Sasuke replied, his voice soundly genuinely curious. "It's not a very wide lane."

Sakura heard a clack, and she looked over at Shino, who had withdrawn a measuring tape from his pant's pocket.

"Exactly why I brought this," he said, offering the tapered end to Sasuke. Sasuke smirked and took it. The men moved apart, and Sakura watched as the bright yellow metal stretched taught between them. After a long moment, Sasuke glanced up at Sakura, eyebrow raised.

"Just shy of ten feet," he said, "wide enough for a car."

He let go the tape, and the metal whisked back into the metal square Shino held. Unable to help herself, Sakura kept her gaze on Sasuke, whose eyes were likewise stuck on hers.

"It's a start," she said to him, her voice hopeful.

"It's a start," he echoed back.

* * *

After thanking Shino for his time, Sasuke left Sakura and Shino in the alley, muttering something about wanting to look around the store. Sakura turned to Shino, determined not to let her friend sneak off before they made at least some small talk. She knew he didn't particular enjoy the activity, but the practice was good for him.

Eventually though, she let Shino go and returned to the front of the store. To her relief, the sidewalk was empty save for Sasuke, who was leaning against the car, ankles and arms crossed. As she approached, he unwound his body and—as she had come to expect—opened the door for her. Without comment, she climbed into the car, dropping her purse onto the car floor.

On the ride back to the office, Sakura stared out the window; leg jiggling as she thought through Shino's assessment.

"Maybe there are videos from the night we could look at to see what cars were in the area?" She said, looking over at Sasuke. He was driving quietly, hands skillfully moving the car through the midafternoon traffic.

"Doubtful. It was well over five years ago. No security system keeps video that long."

"Well, maybe we don't need the video. Maybe Shino's testimony would be enough. His assessment certainly destroys the prosecution's theory of the case. If the knife isn't a match, and the blood splatter isn't consistent with the manner of death, shouldn't the court order a new trial?"

Sasuke didn't respond, just curved the car slightly to the right to enter a turn lane. He glanced at her when she continued to stare at him, and inclined his head a small shake, prompting a stern scowl from Sakura.

"Had Haru's original lawyer had the resources—and the sense—to hire an expert like Shino this type of evidence may have been enough to prompt doubts in a jury, but our burden of proof is much higher. We need more evidence before we file our habeas petition. It's not enough to prompt doubt. We need definitive proof of a constitutional violation, and if we can, that he actually didn't do it. All we have now is circumstantial evidence. Plus, as you explained, the knife match Shino made is weak."

Sakura sunk into her seat, unhappy with Sasuke's answer, though aware he was right. He could be such a bummer though.

"Shouldn't we update Haru at least on the development? Give him a little renewed hope?"

"You think that wise? We might raise his hopes for nothing. These cases take time, Sakura."

"All he has is hope Sasuke," she snapped with annoyance, sick of him popping her own happy balloon. "At the very least let's call him. This week."

She took Sasuke's quiet "hn" as agreement, and though she saw him glance at her, she ignored him, reaching instead for her phone.

Back to uncomfortable silence it was then. The duo spent the remainder of the ride ignoring each other, Sakura answering emails while Sasuke drove, until finally he pulled up in front of the office. When the car came to a stop in the no-parking loading zone, she gathered her purse and reached for the handle, fingers curling around the cold silver expectantly.

"Good afternoon Sasuke," she said in goodbye as she pulled the door open and climbed out, shutting the door firmly behind herself. She walked around the front of the car, keeping her face focused straight ahead as she went. She had no idea if Sasuke intended to return to the office for the remainder of the day, and frankly she didn't care. Today had been nothing short of exhausting. Acting as though you hated someone apparently took a great deal of energy. Much more than she realized.

Five minutes later she was back in her office, tossing her purse into her desk drawer before putting her face into her palms, letting out a long and angry whine of frustration.

That done, she lifted her head back up, cleared her throat, and glanced at her phone where a red blinking light signaled a missed message. She leaned over and clicked the button, turning to her computer to return to work.

As she reached for the mouse to wiggle the screen awake, her hand froze in mid-air as the voice of Itsumi Tsubaki filled the room.

"Sakura, darling, Auntie Itsumi here. Do join me for a cup of tea, won't you?"

* * *

Author Note:

So many people left reviews last chapter(s) that made me laugh out loud. I love hearing your reactions as you read. I also so appreciate how understanding you have been when I've taken longer than I would like to get out a new chapter. And also a thank you to those who have pointed out misspellings here and there. I tend to write either late at night or while traveling for work, so there are not doubt misspellings a plenty. I've corrected as needed, and will no doubt continue to do so.

Last, a few people mentioned feeling a bit down lately. All I can say is that you've got this. Things will get better.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

* * *

As Sakura walked around the front of the car, Sasuke's eyes tracked her movements, seemingly unable to look away from the stern faced woman. When she was finally inside and too far away to watch through the glass doors, Sasuke started up his car and pulled back into traffic, returning to his parking garage. After parking, he popped his trunk and carefully withdrew the overflowing bag of food, catching a stray bag of beef jerky as it slipped off the top. He stuck the bag into his pocket along with his car keys and headed towards the stairwell, strong arms lifting the bag as he descended the four flights down to street level.

As he walked back to the office, Sasuke sifted through the details of their meeting with Sakura's expert, uncertain what to make of it all. It was certainly progress, but he had no idea where to go from here. If anything, they had less leads now. Before at least they knew the location of the murder scene. There could have been an eyewitness among the neighbors just waiting to be found. Too scared to come forward five years ago, but with time and coaxing, now willing. Without a certain murder scene though, talking with the neighbors now seemed a pointless endeavor.

"One step forward, two steps back," Sasuke muttered as he strode back into the building lobby, pushing open the door with his free hand.

Once back on his office floor, he walked quickly past his assistant's empty cubicle, dropping the bag onto her desk chair. He proceeded past Sakura's closed office door to his office and—unable to help himself—glanced through his window. Surprisingly, Sakura's blinds were open, and he could see her sitting at her desk, her back to him.

He took a seat in his chair, just looking at the back of her pink head, considering her form. Her back was ramrod straight, and though he couldn't see her hands, he just knew they were clenched into tight little balls. She looked tense even from here, and Sasuke sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Sakura's attitude this morning had been amusing at first. Adorable even, with her angry eyes and biting retorts. But as the day dragged on a sense of unease had settled in his gut. This wasn't a temper tantrum as he first thought. She was properly pissed at him. So much so it seemed she couldn't be in the same room with him without striking out, her anger swift and sharp. To his supreme irritation, it bothered him.

Sasuke hadn't realized how much he had enjoyed their banter until Sakura had so summarily cut it off. Somehow, her abrupt change in demeanor seemed like his fault. Which, he supposed it was. He shouldn't have let himself get carried away on Saturday. Their relationship—their work relationship, he corrected quickly—had been like a small flower bud, not quite ready to bloom. And per usual, like every other relationship in his life, he had managed to crush it under his foot, destroying any possibility of growth.

Loath though he was to admit it, he had enjoyed working with the smiling, blushing Sakura. Her energy and optimism was annoying, but refreshing. And unlike Naruto—whose view of the world was almost overwhelming in its goodness—Sakura knew how to play the game. He had seen her interacting with clients, her brilliant smile genuine, but aware the entire while that every laugh, every teasing smirk as she took a sip of her drink, was part of the grander game that came with the business side of lawyering. The calculating side that meant seducing potential clients with liquor and expensive steaks to generate business. She was good at it. Excellent even, if he was fair. And she knew it. Sakura was aware of her talents, both intellectual and social, though perhaps not as aware of her abilities as she should be.

Sasuke frowned, thinking back to the timid and yet simultaneously loud-mouthed creature he recalled from school. She was so different now, and yet, still the same in so many respects. Refined was perhaps the better word than different. She had grown from girl to woman. A woman, he thought with closed eyes, who was hungry for all that life offered. A woman who deserved better than him.

"Enough," he said to himself, turning to face his computer. "Let it be."

"Let what be Mr. Uchiha?"

Sasuke froze, glancing quickly towards his office door. His assistant stood in the entryway, looking at him curiously. He hadn't even heard the door open.

"Mayuko," he said in acknowledgment, ignoring her question, "what do you need?"

"Sorry for the intrusion, but there was a bag of food on my desk—"

"Ah, yes," he said with a start, realizing he had neglected to email her instructions. "I need you to ship it to the client in the Tanaka matter. Make sure you call the prison first and get prior approval before sending. They no doubt have certain rules we'll need to follow. If you run into any problems let me know, it might take a little wheel greasing."

Mayuko nodded and Sasuke turned to his computer. When she didn't leave, he looked back up, following her eyes out the window to Sakura.

"What?" He asked curtly, annoyed with the way her eyes were narrowing as she looked at the woman through the window.

"Are you taking Ms. Haruno to the party next week? Everyone says you are," Mayuko asked in a too sweet tone, her eyes gliding back to his.

Sasuke's frown deepened as he regarded the woman, turning over her question in his mind, trying to ascertain what she was getting at.

"I expect my assistant to be more concerned with her work than workplace gossip, Mayuko," he said finally, voice low and cold. "Leave Ms. Haruno alone."

Mayuko paled slightly and she gave him a quick bow before backing out of the room, mumbling something about calling the prison. He watched her go, waiting until she had cleared the room completely before giving one final look over his shoulder at Sakura before logging into his computer.

He proceeded to work through his unanswered emails, breathing out deep sighs of aggravation as he read through idiotic questions from other attorneys and staff. His eyes flicked to the clock, and with relief he saw it was almost three thirty. It hadn't exactly been a full workday, but all he wanted was to get out of here and hit his treadmill, or better yet the park. He opened an email and typed out a quick message to his contact at the prison, requesting time for a call with Haru on Thursday or Friday of this week. He hit send and quickly closed out the remaining windows, resolved to get the hell out of there before Orochimaru sent him some ASAP project.

The snake had been suspiciously quiet today, and although Sasuke intended to track the man down and interrogate him as to his conversation with Sakura, that exchange could wait.

Five minutes later, Sasuke was up and out of his chair, grabbing his briefcase before he strode quickly out of his office. As he passed Sakura's closed door he stalled, turning to give it a once over.

"Just keep walking," he murmured to himself as he eyed the door handle, clenching and unclenching his fist. "Just go," he willed himself as he stared at the handle. With a growl of irritation his hand jerked up and he knocked. If he didn't try to fix things now, it would only get worse.

"Come in," he heard through the wood. He pushed open the door and slowly walked in, much as one might approach a trapped animal, closing the door softly behind him. Sakura looked up from the papers on her desk, her face instantly darkening into a scowl as she spotted him. She looked back down as he approached.

"Oh, it's you."

"A shame, I know," he replied coolly, coming to stand in front of her and depositing his briefcase into the guest chair. Stop, he berated himself. For once in your life be nice to her. "I contacted the prison," he continued, softening his tone. "We should be able to set up a time with Haru on Thursday or Friday. Do you have any conflicts those days?"

"I have a meeting Thursday morning, but I'm otherwise available," she said, glancing at her computer. "Just let me know when."

Sasuke nodded, but any further words flew from his mind. When he didn't speak, she glanced up at him, her eyes hesitantly meeting his. He held her gaze, and as the seconds ticked by the room grew quiet, the soft noises from the hallway traffic and buzzing A/C fading away. Her normally expressive face was tempered, the only hint of any emotion glinting in her eyes like a weak flame.

"Sasuke," Sakura began, her voice tight. "I got a call—"

"How long are you going to keep this up?" He interrupted, unable to stop the flood of feelings suddenly bursting through him like water crashing through a dam.

"Keep what up?" She asked, her eyebrows rising in confusion. "I'm not doing anything—"

"This act of yours. I get it. You're angry. Get over it, it's childish."

"Childish?" Sakura echoed weakly. "Childish," she repeated, voice hardening. " _I'm_ being childish?"

"Yes, _you_ Sakura. We have to work together, so you need to get over your hurt feelings."

Sakura stood, her chair whipping backwards and banging against the wall.

"Hurt feelings?" She hissed. "You think this is about hurt feelings? Were you listening at all this morning? This . . . this is about . . . professionalism. You were not _professional_ this weekend."

"Professional?" Sasuke snorted. "You wear a dress like that and want to talk about professionalism?"

"I can wear whatever I goddamn choose to wear Sasuke Uchiha," she growled. "A short skirt isn't an invitation. And fuck you for even implying the reason you . . . molested me is because I chose to wear a short skirt on a hot day."

"Really, that's what it was now? Molestation? I explicitly asked you—"

"I know what you asked," she snapped, her cheeks burning a delicious shade of pink.

"Then you must also remember that you said _yes_."

"A mistake! Like I've said."

Suddenly, Sasuke found himself striding swiftly around her desk, his body moving towards Sakura until she had backed into the wall, her body trapped. Her hands flew up to erect a barrier, palms pressing into his chest as he closed the space between them. When her back was flush against the wall he reached down, grabbing at her wrists to stop her angry assault.

"Let go," she hissed as his hands closed over her arms.

"Stop hitting me," he said quietly.

"Stop pushing me against walls," she bit back, her voice equally quiet.

He smirked, but let go. Immediately, her fists jumped back to smack at him, and he grabbed them again, gentle, but firm.

"Stop, Sakura," he breathed, softly bringing her fists back to the wall by her shoulders, holding one on either side of her body. He stepped closer until his body was almost pressing against hers. His face positioned mere inches away. She looked at him, her eyes dancing furiously, and he smirked, glad to see the fire burning in her, her coldness dripping away.

"Say it again," he challenged, eyes never leaving hers, an idle finger stroking her right wrist's flickering pulse.

"Say what?" She ground out, though he felt her legs shift, allowing him space to step closer.

He moved in, bringing his mouth close to her ear, letting his soft breath tickle the outer shell.

"That it was a mistake."

She jerked her head away as his breath hit her skin, letting out a small gasp of air, but he could feel her body softening against his, her hands going limp in his grasp. He looked down into her newly exposed neck, breathing in rosemary and mint, his lips so close they were almost trailing across her skin. God she smelled so good.

As he pressed his face fully against her shivering skin, he heard Sakura take in a sharp breath as his nose gently caressed her neck, drinking her in. His body tightened, his cock growing hard against his pants as he felt her press her body firmly against his, her back curling up towards him, offering him more of her neck.

Fuck it, he thought with a vicious snarl, and he pressed a hot kiss just under her jawline, his tongue flitting out to taste the salt of her skin. She moaned, low and guttural, and he dropped her arms, slipping a free hand down to her lower back, pulling her tightly against him. He could sense her arms falling to her sides, seemingly unsure where to go, and with his other hand he gently slipped his fingers into hers, pulling her arm up and against the wall as he pressed into her. He felt her other hand settle on his hip, softly at first, but then firmly, using him as an anchor so she could push herself against him, her pelvis grinding against his hard length.

He bit out a groan, grinding back against her into the wall, smirking against her neck when he heard another throaty gasp of pleasure escape her at the contact. He ran his nose across her jawline, encouraging her face to turn back to him. After a halting moment she did, and his smirk widened as he caught her eyes, deep male satisfaction settling into his bones as he took note of her hungry expression. The hand holding hers loosened and he stroked down her arm to the back of her neck, tangling briefly in her thick strands before continuing down to her jaw, forcing her chin up so he could better look at her.

She was breathing heavily, and her free hand—no longer pinned—came to his back, fingernails clutching at the fabric of his jacket. Still holding her chin, Sasuke glided a thumb to stroke across her lower lip, gently pulling it down as he went. He repeated the movement and was rewarded with another roll of her hips and arch of her back. He dropped his thumb back to her chin, running a hand down the front of her pale neck, dragging his fingers until it met the first button of her silk button up, eyes questing up to hers, asking for permission.

But when he met her eyes again, he saw a flint of hesitation, and his hand paused. They looked at each other, each breathing deeply, their bodies tight together.

"Sasuke," she finally whispered, grabbing his hand gently, pulling it down. "Stop."

The certainty of the command cut through him, and he let her push his hand away, feeling the one she had at his hip pushing his body back as well. He took a step back, dropping the hand at her back, and turned away from her, taking a long, deep breath. The ambient sounds of the office seemed to rush back to life the minute he stepped out of her space, and his body instantly stiffened, every fiber of his being suddenly on edge, painfully aware of what he was doing. Why couldn't he leave this woman alone? They were at work, for god's sake. The one place she had insisted time and time again she wanted to keep professional. He was an idiot.

"It _was_ a mistake," he heard softly from behind him.

"What," he asked, glancing over his shoulder at her. She was looking at him with empty eyes, all hint of hunger gone. He squashed down the feeling to go to her, take her in his arms and kiss her hard until some feeling was back in those wide eyes. But he didn't. He just turned to look at her properly, stuffing his hands into his pockets to keep them still, feeling his arousal fade as he continued to study her face.

"You told me to say it again. So I am. Saturday was a mistake," she replied, voice low and even. "And this, this was a mistake too."

He didn't say anything, just stared at her, and she offered him a weak smile, running a hand up to her hair, smoothing down the messy strands at the back.

"You're right. I don't want to be mad at you. We're stuck here at the same firm for who knows how long. So, I'd like us to try to be friends, Sasuke," she said, hands moving down to give her skirt a hard tug in a useless attempt to straighten out the wrinkles.

"Friends?" He asked drily, watching her palms move across the navy fabric.

"Yes," she said firmly, eyes directed down as she finished straightening her outfit. She looked up at him, her shoulders riding back. "Friends. I know you're not terribly familiar with the concept, but it won't hurt to try, will it? All of this," she said, gesturing between them, "let's just forget about it, ok?"

Her words hung in the air and he just stared at her, eyes holding hers, searching for an explanation. When she offered him none, sudden concern sprang in him, and his eyes shot to her wrists, searching them for marks.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No," she corrected quickly, raising her hands in pacification. "I just don't want to mess around anymore, ok? I think . . . I think working together on this case has been confusing . . . for the both of us. I know it wasn't exactly a near death experience, but last week with Itsumi . . . well sometimes when you feel scared you just cling to the nearest person just to feel alive. The feelings, they're not . . . real. So we need to stop before we both do something we'll regret."

Her words snapped at him like a whip, and he almost reeled back in surprise at his own feelings of displeasure. Regret. She didn't want to regret him.

"Fine," he finally managed, working his face into his normal, reserved mask.

"Ok then," she said, her weak little smile still in place. "Friends?" She asked, holding out a hand to him. "Not the kind with benefits either," she joked, though her voice sounded strained.

He stared at her outstretched hand, almost snorting at the gesture. But he took it, giving it a curt shake.

"Are you going to tell me now why Orochimaru was here this morning?" He asked, drawing his hand away. Her smile faltered, but she inclined her head gently, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Again, that isn't your—"

"Friends talk to each other," he said pointedly, walking back to the guest side of Sakura's desk, putting much needed distance between them.

"That seems like a cheap shot," she muttered, coming to stand at her desk, reaching behind her for her forgotten chair. She pulled the chair back and took a seat, and he took his as well, eyes following her every movement. She looked up at him and sighed, leaning forward onto her elbows.

"He asked if I would consider working with him in your group. I told him no. That's all."

Sasuke's jaw clenched protectively.

"Good," he said after a moment, "you don't want to work with him Sakura."

"You don't need to tell me that," she said with a shiver, "the man gives me the creeps. I don't understand how you put up with him."

"Necessity," he murmured.

"I couldn't work like that," Sakura continued, shaking her head. "Tsunade and I have mutual respect for each other. I couldn't imagine not respecting my teacher."

"We . . . have an understanding," he responded slowly, "and I'll be a partner soon anyway. Once I'm part of the partnership I won't need to work with him anymore if I don't want to. It's a means to an end."

"I suppose that's true," she said, leaning back and glancing at her clock. Her eyes darted back to him, mouth twisting, as though chewing something over.

"Have you heard from Itsumi?" She asked suddenly, her voice light.

He tensed at the name.

"No," he said evenly, focusing on loosening his facial muscles. "Nothing yet."

Sakura looked back to her clock, nodding her head absently. Her eyes drifted back to his, face pulled into a thoughtful expression. When she didn't say anything, Sasuke stood, grabbing his briefcase and moving towards the door.

"Sakura, I'm . . . sorry about today, and Saturday. It won't happen again," he added, saying the words more for his own resolve than for her benefit. "I'm leaving for the day," he added, "and I'll be out until Thursday for another case. I'll send you an email about our call with Haru once I know the timing."

"Wait," Sakura called, and he halted, glancing back at her. She bit her lip, glancing again at her clock before back at him.

"What?" He sighed heavily, desperately needing to get out of the confining clothing and into his sneakers. Or potentially just into a cold shower.

"Nothing," she said, looking away, "sorry, just go."

Sasuke turned, giving her a curious glance before turning back and exiting through the door. As he entered the hallway, he closed the door behind him, eyes quickly accessing the scene. Assistants sat at their desks, completely oblivious to what had occurred only minutes ago in Sakura's office. No one paid him any mind other than a brief look before turning back to their work. Good, he mused, continuing down the hallway to the elevator. This office was a rumor factory. The last thing either of them needed was word of this leaking.

As he walked, he tried not to let his mind drift back to the feel of Sakura's body against his, the velvety touch of her lip against the pad of his thumb, or her suddenly empty eyes when she pushed him away. He frowned, pushing open the door to the glass elevator vestibule.

"Friends," he repeated as he smacked the down button a little harder than necessary. "I guess we'll be friends then."

* * *

At four thirty on the dot, Sakura stepped out of her taxi, eyes sweeping over the beautiful brick building heavy with creeping green ivy that sat across the street. Her eyes lingered on the large camellia flower sign directly above the wide double doors, and she frowned, knowing she would soon be walking under that sign, straight into the heart of the beast. She shut the car door reluctantly and the car sped off, leaving her alone on the bustling sidewalk. Sakura looked back up to the building, wondering once more whether she should have told Sasuke. Whether she still should, just so he knew where she was.

But . . . she couldn't stomach the thought. Her cheeks still burned with embarrassment as she recalled how she had moaned at his touch. Not that he had much ground to stand on. She had felt him against her leg, the length of him so incredibly warm and hard through the thin cloth of their suits. She shifted on her feet, her blush deepening as she thought of the way she had ground against him, unable to stop herself from relishing in his body's reaction to her. He had felt so nice. So . . . right.

Ugh, so much for icing him out, she thought irritably, running a hand up through her hair, trying not to think about how his fingers had curled at the nape of her neck.

"Bad, bad Sakura," she hissed, rubbing at her temples.

No, she thought, closing her eyes. This is exactly why she had stopped him. Sasuke was like a drug to her. Any hint of attention, of affection, and she was putty in his hands. His proclivity for pushing her against walls, for only displaying emotion when no one was around to see it, did not signal the start of a healthy relationship. She wanted a partner in life. Not someone to touch her in back hallways and then ignore her. She valued herself more than that.

Sakura glanced back at the building in front of her, frowning. Of course, she was still stuck with her original dilemma. Itsumi's voicemail had been very clear. She wasn't supposed to tell Sasuke.

"Sakura darling, Auntie Itsumi here. Do join me for a cup of tea, won't you? I had hoped you would be available later this afternoon, but it appears you've stepped away from your desk. Why don't you give my girls at the teahouse a call when you return? Oh, and Sakura darling, let's keep this between us girls, shall we? Let's not involve our mutual friend. He can be such a bore. Talk soon."

It had taken Sakura several minutes before she hustled up the courage to call the teahouse. When she had, she had been surprised by the shop girl's quick confirmation that her call was expected, and indeed, that Itsumi was still at the store and available to meet later that day. Sakura had tried to back out, but the shop girl had quickly confirmed that Sakura was to arrive at 4:30, and that Itsumi would be waiting.

"Come hungry," the girl had chirped before hanging up. "Itsumi is an excellent host."

Sakura tapped a hand against her leg, thinking through her options. If she told Sasuke, he would no doubt insist on coming with, which would be in direct violation of Itsumi's instructions. This would make Itsumi very unhappy with Sakura, which Sakura really, really did not want. But, Sakura countered, what if she went in alone, and never came back? Nobody would ever know what had happened to her.

Sakura snorted, rolling her eyes. She was overreacting. She was Sakura Haruno, not some heroine in a gangster movie. After wrestling through several options, including a brief fantasy where she fled the country, thus avoiding both her Sasuke and Itsumi problems, Sakura came to the conclusion that in all likelihood, Itsumi wasn't planning to hurt her. She had, after all, left a voicemail on Sakura's work phone, where anyone might have heard it.

Resolved, she crossed the street. She had managed to sell Sasuke no. She could survive a tea with Itsumi Tsbuaki.

When Sakura pulled open the heavy wood door, a young woman scurried out to meet her, bowing as she welcomed Sakura into a sunken floor lobby. Sakura looked around, surprised to see the lobby was small and conservative, containing only a few very expensive looking couches and chairs situated around equally expensive tables. Two doors stood on either side of a high counter, behind which two women sat in crisp black uniforms, each wearing silver pins identical to the brooch Sakura recalled Itsumi had been wearing. Sakura met one of their eyes, and the woman leapt up, coming quickly around to give Sakura a low bow.

"Ms. Haruno, yes? Come this way, Itsumi is waiting," she said seamlessly, taking Sakura's purse from her before she could stop her.

The woman opened the left hand door and ushered Sakura down a wide hallway carpeted in a rich green shag, perfectly complementing the thick wallpaper painted with a forest scene. Sakura glanced up, noting the gold leaf ceiling. The woman finally came to a stop at a door, turning the handle and pushing it open for her.

"Just in here miss," she said.

Sakura smiled her thanks and took a hesitant step in, eyes blinking in the light as she stepped into the sun filled courtyard. As with the outside of the building, ivy crept over the walls and spilled down into large, neatly trimmed shrubs. Unsurprisingly, the shrubs were dotted with white camellias.

Sakura's eyes focused on the far end of the courtyard where she could see a woman relaxing in a whicker chair next to a table heavy with dishes, a silver tipped cane leaning against her side.

Sakura took a hesitant forward and the woman turned, her handsome face drawing into a smile as she saw who had arrived.

"You're late," Itsumi called, gesturing at her wristwatch teasingly.

"My apologies," Sakura said, continuing to advance towards the woman. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

Itsumi only continued to smile. She waved airily to the chair across from her, indicating wordlessly Sakura was to sit.

Reluctantly, Sakura made her way to the chair, behind which a tall butler dressed in a crisp black suit stood. As she approached, he gave her a sharp bow, and she nodded back, allowing him to help seat her. Once situated, he stepped away, leaving her alone with the fine boned woman. With a deep breath, Sakura lifted her head and met Itsumi's brown eyes.

It had only been a few days since Sakura had seen her, but it felt like years had passed. Itsumi looked the same as in her memory, though she was wearing a crisp white dress today, the length ending just below her knees, displaying designer pumps that were expertly crossed beneath her at the ankle.

Itsumi stared back at Sakura, her eyes traveling pointedly from Sakura's face to her conservative navy suit to her unadorned neck and ears. Finally, she smiled again and reached across the table to lift the lid of an ornately painted teapot, inhaling deeply as steam curled out to caress the woman's face. Sakura frowned, feeling as though Itsumi had just appraised her like a piece of cattle at auction.

"I know what you're thinking," Itsumi said, replacing the lid and lifting the pot to pour the tea over the strainer perched across the bone china teacup in front of Sakura.

Sakura bit her bottom lip, silently cursing her overly expressive face and readying herself to apologize. Itsumi moved to pour tea into her own cup, glancing at Sakura and giving her another soft smile.

"I'm sure you're wondering why a woman who owns a Japanese teahouse is serving you an English tea?"

Sakura blinked.

"Oh, um, yes. I suppose that is curious, isn't it?" She offered, glancing around the table, her eyes lingering on the overflowing tray of scones and jars of jam and clotted cream set beneath another tray of small cakes and biscuits.

Itsumi followed Sakura's eyes and gave a shrill little laugh, pushing the tray towards Sakura.

"Dig in darling, I always appreciate a girl with an appetite. And yes, it is curious, but I'm just mad about a good cup of earl grey. Not to mention the treats that accompany afternoon tea. I myself am going to have one of these lovely little biscuits with my own cup. Now, should you like, there is some milk and sugar here, though I recommend just a squeeze of lemon."

Sakura nodded as she listened, reaching for a scone hungrily and placing it on her plate along with a large dollop of clotted cream. Her mind briefly considered that the food and drink could be poison, but she was so hungry, and again, if Itsumi wanted her dead, there wasn't much Sakura could do about it anyway.

"Thank you, I'll just have it black," Sakura said, taking a rather large bite of her food.

Itsumi nodded her approval, taking a small sip from her own cup before regarding Sakura again, tracing one of her long fingernails around the lip of the china. For some reason, Sakura found her unpainted fingernails unnerving. She was so put together, from head to toe. Yet her fingernails—though groomed—were bare. Itsumi spoke again as Sakura chewed, her voice echoing slightly in the tall brick enclosure.

"I admit I was a little sad to hear you threw away my flowers Sakura dear. They were from my own garden you know. Personally selected by me."

Sakura choked, and she quickly reached for her cup, taking a sip of the still too hot tea. When she put the cup back down she looked up at Itsumi, eyes panicked. Shit, shit, shit. She had offended her. Sakura's mind reached for an explanation.

"My roommate," she sputtered, "my roommate was asking questions, and I know you value your privacy. I didn't know how to explain the flowers to her, so I threw them. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"Oh quiet yourself dear, I'm not truly upset. Frankly I would have been disappointed if you hadn't rebelled a little. Sasuke threw his flowers as well, and I assure you it was purely out of spite. He was such a sweet child, but he grew so surly after the death of his father and mother."

Sakura just looked down at her cup. Sasuke hadn't mentioned that.

"Of course," Itsumi continued, "I suppose when you loose your parents that young anyone would grow coarse, though he's rather committed to the role, wouldn't you say?"

She smiled, and Sakura just took a sip of her tea, heart still racing hard. This had been a very bad idea, she thought, realizing suddenly that her cell phone was in her purse, and her purse was who knows where now.

"Well, enough about Sasuke. Tell me about yourself Sakura. How long have you been a lawyer?"

Sakura looked up from her cup, not sure what to make of Itsumi's pleasant, conversational tone.

"Just over three years," she said.

"And you've worked for Senju LLP the entire time?"

"Yes. I was a summer associate there as well," she continued, taking another sip of her tea.

"And in addition to having a master's degree, you graduated top of your class from the University of Konoha Law School? Such a clever girl," Itsumi purred.

Sakura didn't bother asking where Itsumi had gotten hold of her resume. She just gave Itsumi a small nod and took another hesitant bite of the thick pastry, feeling it was better to tell Itsumi as little as possible. Though, it seemed as if the woman probably knew everything about her anyway.

"Tell me Sakura," Itsumi continued, "where do you see yourself in five years?"

Sakura's chews slowed, and she swallowed, putting the remaining scone back down on her plate. What was this? A job interview? She took another sip of the strong tea to chase away the crumbs before looking up at the woman. The woman gazed at her curiously, and Sakura tried not to frown.

"I hope to be a partner at my firm," she said, raising her chin.

"So the merger of your firm with Sasuke's firm doesn't bother you?" Itsumi asked swiftly, leaning back in her chair as she examined Sakura's face for a reaction.

"Should it?" Sakura replied in a hard voice.

Itsumi laughed, clapping her hands together in amusement.

"Oh you are just delightful. Well, I ask only because I've heard rumblings that not every Senju associate was happy to join up with a firm that so often represents what we'll call the more controversial citizens of Konoha. But that doesn't bother you, does it?"

"I trust Senju's leadership," Sakura replied.

"Mmm, you're loyal. I like that. Loyalty is the bedrock of any relationship. But dear, between us girls, don't you find it abhorrent? Your firm being associated with such people?"

Sakura responded slowly, sure that she was currently speaking with one of those "people."

"Again, I trust Senju's leadership. And, I suppose, everyone deserves representation," she added, thinking back to her similar conversation with Sasuke only a few weeks prior. "Even the controversial," she added.

"Quite," Itsumi murmured as she raised her teacup to her painted lips, taking another shallow sip.

"Why am I here?" Sakura asked, unable to keep the question at bay any longer.

Itsumi tilted her head, giving Sakura an easy shrug as she replaced her cup.

"Think of it as an interview dear. I wanted to learn more about you. And, of course, I did feel a little bad about last week. My boys were far too rough with you, and I feel you left with a poor image of my company."

"I don't want an interview," Sakura blurted without thinking.

"I'm sorry?" Itsumi said, her mouth pursing.

Sakura backtracked, cursing her reckless mouth.

"I just meant that . . . well I understand that Sasuke's father was at one time your lawyer, but I—"

"Lawyer?" Itsumi interrupted in a surprised voice, "who told you Fugaku was my lawyer?"

Sakura paled, sensing she had made another error.

"Sasuke did," she replied, "but all he told me was that Uchiha Brothers at one point represented your business . . . I apologize if I wasn't supposed to know that, but after we first met I had so many questions and I woul—"

Itsumi raised a hand and Sakura stopped mid-word, breath catching in her throat.

"I'm not upset dear, no need to work yourself into a tizzy. I'm just confused. Fugaku was never my lawyer. It would have been quite the conflict of interest. Goodness, quite the conflict indeed."

Sakura stared at Itsumi, now confused as well.

"I'm not sure I understand," she asked finally, "what conflict?"

Itsumi's eyebrows rose, and she leaned forward onto the table, her eyes narrowing predatorily.

"How much has Sasuke told you about my business Sakura dear?"

"Very little," Sakura said quickly, "practically nothing."

"Mmmm, he's a very cautious boy that Sasuke," Itsumi murmured, her eyes darkening under her long, no doubt false eyelashes. "He learned that from his father of course. Fugaku was the same way. But if Sasuke boy was foolish enough to involve you in this, you really should know what all you're dealing with. Now tell me, what exactly has Sasuke told you?"

When Sakura didn't immediately respond, Itsumi leaned back again, plastering a wide smile to her face, her eyes brightening.

"No need to be shy dear. I'm an old family friend after all."

Sakura hesitated a moment before lowering her shoulders, her body giving in. What could it hurt? It's not as if Sasuke had told her much anyway.

"All he told me was that there were several families whose business operations were not always strictly legal, and that his father sometimes provided legal services to them."

A loud, shrill cackle sounded from Itsumi, and Sakura almost leaned back in astonishment as the older woman threw back her dark head in laughter.

"That's what Sasuke told you?" Itsumi chuckled, looking back at her. "That Fugaku provided legal services to the Families?"

Sakura nodded dumbly and Itsumi laughed again, her smile widening even further.

"Oh Sakura dear, Sasuke lied. Fugaku wasn't one of the Families' lawyers. The Uchihas _were_ a Family."

* * *

Author Note:

Happy New Year! The plot thickens, dun dun dun! We are so close to the ball I can practically taste it, and dang I am ready for it. How about you?

A very warm welcome to all the new readers who joined us last update, and a huge thanks as always to everyone who drops me a note letting me know how they're feeling, either in irl or about the update. May 2019 be filled with lots of tasty treats, warm cat and dog snuggles, and lots and lots of heaping loads of self care.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

* * *

Sakura blinked, her mouth going uncomfortably dry as she processed Itsumi's words. After a long, painful moment she forced herself to swallow, reaching desperately for something, anything, to say in response.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand," she finally managed, forcing the lie through her lips. "What do you mean the Uchihas were a family? Of course they were a family."

Itsumi took a measured sip of tea, eyes still flickering with amusement as she looked at her over the lip of her cup. Gently, she put the china down before leaning back, her head tilting to the side as she examined Sakura.

"Don't play dumb dear," she said in a low, seductive coo, "you know what I mean."

Sakura opened her mouth to disagree, but the words caught in her throat. Yes, she did know what Itsumi meant. Of course Sasuke's family was in the fucking mob, she thought bitterly to herself as she closed her lips, her entire body tensing under the woman's attentive gaze. She knew she should be shocked at the revelation. Scared even. But she couldn't seem to push past Itsumi's first words—Sasuke lied.

That Sasuke had lied to her was hardly surprising. He was a fiercely private person, and she knew—objectively at least—that he had been trying to keep Sakura in the dark about this world as much as possible. Even so, the dishonesty chaffed. It was a poignant reminder that she didn't really know him, and he clearly didn't trust her.

The logical side of her mind fought furiously against the emotional, reasoning angrily that he owed her nothing. That it was ridiculous that what was bothering her most was Sasuke's lie, not the knowledge of Sasuke's past. The knowledge that he could be dangerous. She could still feel the ghost of his lips on her throat, and she forced away the image of his beautiful face as it looked down into hers, his hungry eyes so powerful and overwhelming. No. The Sasuke she knew wouldn't hurt her. Not on purpose.

As her mind frantically worked, she could feel Itsumi's narrowed eyes on her, clearly waiting for a reaction. Annoyingly, despite her raging emotions, Sakura felt a sharp urge to protect Sasuke from this woman. Itsumi wasn't telling Sakura this purely for her own amusement. She wanted something, and it had to do with Sasuke. Any reaction Sakura gave was insight into her feelings for him, which Itsumi would no doubt try to use against her. To use against him.

After a deep breath to slow her mind, Sakura locked eyes with Itsumi, smiling thinly just as the woman had done with her.

"What would be dumb," she began in an even, clear tone, "would be to make assumptions. Sasuke and I work together, that's it. I know next to nothing about his family. If Sasuke wanted me to know more, he would tell me more."

"Would he?" Itsumi said in a satisfied voice, her lip quirking.

"That's not what I meant," Sakura began, but Itsumi raised a hand curtly, stopping her objection.

"Whether Sasuke wants you to know about his family is irrelevant. All that matters is what I want you to know. Besides, you asked me to dig into the Gatō Company for that little case of yours. How can you possibly appreciate the information I find for you without understanding the greater context?"

"Sasuke will understand, which is enough," Sakura said boldly. "He won't be happy if—"

"Sasuke's never happy," Itsumi interrupted with a flippant wave of her hand. "It's part of his charm. His father was the same way. Now enough. I don't like to argue Sakura."

With that, Itsumi reached for the teapot and began to freshen Sakura cup, topping off the now cooled water with fresh amber liquid. She put the pot down and motioned for Sakura to drink. When Sakura didn't move, Itsumi gave her a pointed look, the glinting humor in her eyes gone.

Sakura bit the inside of her lip obstinately, eyes flicking to the closed door at the end of the courtyard and then back to Itsumi's face. When the woman raised a brow, her eyes narrowing dangerously, Sakura reluctantly took the cup and raised it to her lips, taking a small sip. Itsumi smiled.

"There now," she said smoothly, her voice considerably lighter, "drink your tea while Auntie Itsumi tells you a story. I think it's high time you learned about Sasuke's family. The Uchihas have always operated in Konoha, but twenty years ago they were at the height of their power. They, along with four other Families of influence, operated businesses that—as you so delicately implied—flirted with the line between legal and illegal. There were other families of course, such as my own, but we largely kept to ourselves. Mine at least was content to allow the Five Families to battle amongst themselves for control of the city."

"If these people were so powerful how come I've never heard of them?" Sakura interrupted, unable to help herself.

Itsumi smirked, lifting her teacup with a deft hoist of her shoulders.

"Well, it doesn't exactly benefit any of us to be public about our business, does it?" She said as she took a drink. "In fact, there was once a time we actively worked to keep our world out of the public eye through a council comprised of representatives from each of the Five Families. It was Fugaku's idea. A way to consolidate control and create periods of temporary cease-fire so they could attempt to rein in those who would threaten our anonymity. Naturally, he acted as the Council's head. Twice a year the Families would assemble for their little meetings, typically at a neutral location so as not to invite unnecessary conflict. We Tsbuakis often hosted."

"I'm surprised you didn't want a seat at the table."

"Oh no dear! That would have made us quick enemies with the Families, and that would have run in direct contradiction to the nature of our work. I'm sure Sasuke told you at the very least what my family does?"

"Sells tea," Sakura offered dryly.

Itsumi laughed, her now familiar cackle ringing against the brick.

"Oh you do make me laugh. In _addition_ to the tea my sweet Sakura, my family has always operated a network of informants. My little flowers are in government, law enforcement, business—well, you name it, they're there. The Council made difficult decisions that kept all the Families, big and small, accountable for their actions. It would have been supremely bad politics for us to take positions against the very people who used our services. So—to your question—no, we were more than satisfied to stay in the shadows. Besides, Fugaku and I had mutual respect for each other such that he always protected my interests. With an ally such as him, no seat was needed."

Sakura stared down at her hands, absorbing the information.

"You're talking about this Council in the past tense. Does it not exist anymore?"

"No, it does not," she said with a sigh, returning her cup to the table.

When she didn't continue, Sakura glanced up, curious at the woman's sudden silence.

"Why?"

Itsumi's eyes flashed to Sakura, her face drawn in mock surprise.

"Well, Fugaku died dear. I assumed you knew . . . ."

Sakura clenched her jaw at Itsumi's tone. Of course she knew that Sasuke's parents were dead, as was his older brother. But that was the extent of her knowledge. Sasuke had never discussed his loss with her, nor had she ever expected him to. As far as she was aware they had died years ago, long before she had ever met him.

"I'm aware Sasuke's father died," she said slowly, "but what does that have to do with the Council? Didn't someone else lead the . . . business . . . after his death?"

Itsumi's lip curled, and she gave a sad shake of her head, her beautiful black hair shinning in the late afternoon sun.

"His death has everything to do with the Council my love. You see, not everyone was happy with Fugaku's control. He was a severe man, and while I always felt the Council's decisions were just, not everyone did. One night, while the Uchihas were gathered together for what we assume was a family meeting, they were attacked. No one is quite sure what happened, but in the morning they were found dead."

Sakura's eyes widened as Itsumi spoke, her body stilling at the savagery of her words.

"They were murdered?" She asked breathlessly.

"Yes," Itsumi replied, her voice low and cold, "gunned down in the middle of the night by some coward. The only good fortune was that Sasuke and his brother were left at home that night. But those poor boys lost everyone. Their parents, their aunts and uncles . . . no one was spared . . . and to my great personal frustration we never figured out who was responsible for the slaughter. Everyone assumes it was another Family unhappy with the Uchiha's control over the city. That, or it was revenge for a Council decision. Whoever it was, they kept their involvement well concealed. Regardless, no one was interested in meeting as a Council after that. There was too much suspicion and fear that they might be next."

Sakura's throat had gone painfully dry as she listened to Itsumi, and she reached clumsily for her cup, her fingers slamming into the delicate china and slopping tea over the rim. She moved quickly for the ivory napkin to her right, but Itsumi caught her hands, giving her fingers a quick squeeze before taking the napkin from her and using it to blot at the tablecloth.

The gesture was almost kind, and Sakura leaned back in her chair, watching absently as Itsumi gently tended to the linen, trying to slow the steady race of her heart. She had always assumed Sasuke's family had died in a car accident. A tragedy of course, but nothing so appalling as a murder. Murder had never occurred to her, and even now she wondered if Itsumi was lying to her in some misguided attempt to scare her away.

As if reading her mind, Itsumi glanced up at Sakura as she put down the cloth, her face serious.

"Why are you telling me this?" Sakura asked, her voice slightly hoarse. "Are you trying to frighten me away from Sasuke? Or is this an attempt to get us to drop the case?"

Itsumi sighed.

"Neither Sakura. I'm telling you this because you need to understand Sasuke's world. It's dangerous, as I'm sure the boy has warned you. And you my sweet little flower need to be careful. Not every Family is as loyal to the Uchihas as I am."

"No," Sakura said firmly, shaking her head. "I don't buy it. You didn't invite me here and tell me the intimate details of Sasuke personal life just to provide some benign warning. You want something."

When Itsumi didn't respond, just stared at Sakura from underneath her perfectly plucked brows, an irritating smile perched on her lips, Sakura felt a surge of hot anger course through her. Now that the initial shock of Itsumi's words had ebbed away, she felt a deep sense of unease at having been told what was no doubt one of Sasuke's greatest secrets.

"This wasn't your story to tell," she told Itsumi, meeting her brown eyes with a hard glare.

"Perhaps," the woman replied faintly, holding Sakura's eyes, "but here we are nonetheless. You have a promising future Sakura Haruno, but you're too naïve. Too trusting of people you really don't know at all. You'll be better for knowing this dear. Trust me. But, I think you're right that we've said enough today. I do hope you enjoyed your tea. It's always a delight."

With that, Itsumi reached for her cane, leaning on it as she stood. She made towards the door, stopping only as she passed Sakura to look down.

"I'd prefer you not tell Sasuke about our little meeting dear, but I understand secrets between lovers can be difficult."

"We're not lovers," Sakura said quickly, but Itsumi just patted her on the shoulder.

"Tell him, don't tell him, that's up to you. Ta darling, I'll see you soon."

She continued on her path, her cane striking against the ground with a metallic clack as she moved it against the bricks. Sakura watched her walk, unclear what had exactly happened.

"That's it?" She called as Itsumi reached the door.

"That's it," Itsumi called back as one of her employees swung open the door, giving the woman a deep bow as she held it open for her.

"See Sakura out," Sakura heard Itsumi tell the young woman before she passed through the doorway, the clank of her cane growing softer as she moved away.

Sakura leapt to her feet, moving to follow her, but the young woman stepped in front of her, bowing low.

"Please Ms. Haruno, we'll be exiting this way," she said, gesturing behind Sakura to the opposite wall.

Sakura turned to look, and the young woman let the door Itsumi had exited through swing shut. She strode across the courtyard to push open another door that was almost obscured by the creeping ivy, the polished gold handle just barely jutting out.

"This way please," she sung.

With one last glance back at the courtyard and the now closed door, Sakura walked forward, still confused as to what had exactly transpired. Though she was sure she had entered yet another richly decorated hallway, she barely noticed her surroundings. Her mind was buzzing with the revelations of the day. It was too much for her exhausted mind to handle, especially now that the adrenaline that had been coursing through her was dissipating.

"Where's my purse?" She said dully to the woman who led her down the hallway.

"Not to worry Ms. Haruno, it's with the driver who will be taking you home. Nothing will be disturbed."

"I can get home myself," Sakura began to say, but her voice died in her throat. Who cared if Itsumi wanted one of her cars to take her home. It was a free ride.

As the staff had promised, Sakura was led out to a side entrance where a black town car waited for her, it's polish gleaming in the sun. A sharply dressed driver stood holding her bag, and as she approached he gave her a nod, his hands quickly working to open the door for her. As she sunk into the tan leathered seats, he passed it to her wordlessly before closing the door. At least it wasn't a van this time, she thought to herself as she buckled. After checking her work emails and finding to her relief she had none that required immediate attention, she silenced her phone and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths of the air-conditioned air in through her nose.

"Miss?" She heard from the front seat, and she popped open one eye. "Where to miss?" He said, looking at her in the rear review mirror.

"Home," she said, and without any further direction, the driver put the car in gear. Clearly, he knew exactly where she lived.

When he pulled up to her flat forty minutes later, Sakura thanked him and quickly untangled herself from the backseat, taking her purse with her as she went. She let herself into the building and walked slowly up the many flights of stairs, willing her body onward. It was as if all the steam had been let out of her. She didn't even know where to begin processing the day.

First Shino, then Sasuke, and now Itsumi. It felt like a year had passed in a matter of hours, and all she wanted now was to curl up in bed with a book and a very, very large glass of wine.

When she arrived home though, she was greeted by Ino, who was standing in the middle of the living room surrounded by no less than two dozen shoe boxes. As Sakura hung her keys up on the hook by the door, Ino whipped around to look at her, an exasperated look on her face. Sakura took a hesitant step back, wondering if she could grab her keys and book it back down the stairs before Ino stopped her.

"Forehead, where the hell have you been? Here, take off those horrible shoes and try these on."

Sakura raised a brow at the bright red four-inch heels Ino shoved into her hands, turning them over to examine the glittery bottoms. Sparkles came away on her hand, and she grimaced, looking up at her friend with suspicious eyes.

"What's all this for?" She asked, looking around at the numerous boxes and piles of tissue paper pouring out of them. Ino was currently standing in strappy gold heels, held to her feet by thin leather straps that laced up her calves. Ino took a few confident steps around the apartment, the skinny heels threatening to gouge tiny little holes in their worn wood floor. Sakura watched Ino as she pulled off her own shoes, waiting impatiently for the woman to answer.

"Alexandre sent over different shoe options for our dresses," Ino finally said, coming to stand in front of a full length mirror propped against the kitchen counter that normally lived in Ino's bedroom.

"Ino, I don't think I have the energy today to play dress up," Sakura sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"Don't be ridiculous. Besides, you need to pick out your shoes now in case the dress needs to be hemmed if you choose some ghastly kitten heel. Your pile is over there, go dig in," Ino instructed, eyes still glued to her own feet as she mimicked a little dance in the mirror. "Are these too much?"

"Yes," Sakura replied, dropping her equally horrific pair into an empty box and heading towards the unopened pile pressed up against the wall. She removed her suit jacket and crouched down, pulling boxes towards her as she examined the contents. She selected a few pairs to try on and sunk to the floor in a tired mass, pulling on a pair of basic black pumps to start. As she teetered up, flexing her toes against the restraining black leather, she turned back to Ino, who was expertly untying the straps of her pair one handily.

"So," Ino said, looking up at Sakura with a sly grin, "did you talk to Sasuke today?"

Sakura glowered as she sat to try on another pair, kicking off the heels with unnecessary vigor.

"Yes, we work together. Talking is sort of unavoidable."

"Mmmm, so you're still mad at him then for leaving the party?" Ino said with a knowing nod. "Lovers' quarrels can be difficult—"

"It's _not_ a lovers' quarrel," Sakura quipped. "For it to _be_ a lovers' quarrel, there first must be lovers, and there unquestionably are not. Why does everyone keep saying that," she added in a muted voice.

She stood then in a pair of very expensive suede stilettos and walked to the mirror, examining the shoes before immediately kicking them off in distaste.

"These are all awful Ino," she growled. "And they're too tight."

Ino made a sad little tutting sound and sunk onto the couch, examining the boxes.

"Don't get sassy with me because you're having boy problems. Listen Forehead, as far as I am aware, Sasuke Uchiha has never paid this much attention to any woman before. Have you ever considered that he might actually, I don't know, like you?"

Sakura snorted.

"If that's the case he sure has a strange way of showing it."

Ino shrugged, turning away to dig through the pile of tissue paper.

"I'm just saying, so the boy left a party. There are worse things he could have done. Maybe let this one go?"

As Ino continued to parade about the apartment, Sakura collapsed onto the ground, her face pulled tight in thoughtful concentration. Yes, there were certainly worse things she thought ruefully to herself. Like making out with the son of a mob boss in your office and then sneaking off to have a private meeting with yet a different mob boss, who then dumped hot, metaphorical tea about said mob boss's son while drinking literal tea. Oh, and all the while your client sits in prison, having landed there due to a completely different mob boss.

She dropped her head into her hands, rubbing the heels of her palms into her eyes. How had this day spun away from her so rapidly? Suddenly, she felt cool hands on her neck and she glanced up, meeting Ino's bright blue eyes. The woman lowered herself onto the ground until she was sitting next to Sakura, their backs reclining against the couch. She dragged Sakura's head onto her shoulder, one hand gently stroking her head while the other reached across to rub her leg in a reassuring circle.

"Don't worry Sakura, we'll find you a pair of shoes somewhere in this mess. And if not, I'm sure we can find someone to custom make you a pair large enough to fit even your feet. I know a fabulous canoe maker we could call," Ino said seriously, and Sakura couldn't help the choked laugh that burned in her throat.

She gently pushed Ino's hands away and looked at her friend, smiling at her with weary eyes. Even with full knowledge of her friend's inability to keep secrets, she desperately wanted to share something from her day. It felt like a hot bubble rising in her chest, ready to explode. But she couldn't seem to parse out any part of the day that wouldn't either put Ino at risk, or lead to instant shrieking when Ino learned of Sasuke's advances and Sakura's rejection. So she just gave Ino her best smile and meaningfully eyed the pair of wedges Ino was currently sporting.

"Wedges?" Sakura asked in a questioning tone. "I know you have bad taste, but I didn't think it was that bad."

"Ha, ha," Ino replied, slipping an arm through Sakura's as they continued to recline against the couch. "What they lack in fashion they make up for in sturdiness. I could kill a man would these bad boys," she said with a click of her heels.

"A tactful weapon," Sakura acknowledged.

"I thought so."

The women sat in a silence, just listening to the ambient sounds of their home for a moment, enjoying each other's company. After a minute or two, Ino patted Sakura's leg.

"Better?"

"Better," Sakura replied, almost meaning it.

* * *

Author Note:

Woof, what a day girl.

But more importantly, dear readers, your comments have been on point, and hilarious per usual. You make my soul sing.

To ChubbyBunnE, thank you for your thoughtful feedback. I think scarlettwitch283 well summed up my feelings on why Sakura and Sasuke aren't quite there yet, and also the importance (in my mind) of loving yourself before you're ready to love someone else. Can I get an amen? I appreciate the sentiment though, and trust me, they're making progress.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

* * *

Sasuke stared at his bedroom ceiling fan, watching the blades turn languidly in the dark. Weak morning light was only just beginning to creep in underneath the heavy silk drapes drawn across the window, and with each passing minute he could feel the room growing lighter, signaling the rapidly approaching day.

Sleep had never come easy to Sasuke. Not since he was a child. If he wasn't starring at the ceiling waiting for blessed unconsciousness to take hold he was waking fitfully in the middle of the night, gripped by unpleasant memories. Tonight had been no different, though when he jolted awake at two in the morning he had been unable to fall back asleep. He had lain awake—alone in the dark—for hours, his thoughts ping ponging around in his head.

To his immense irritation, despite numerous attempts to think of literally anything else, he kept circling back to his conversation with Sakura on Monday afternoon. It seemed Sakura's powers to annoy had grown in strength. She could now disturb sleep.

After leaving Sakura that afternoon Sasuke had avoided the office, dropping by only briefly Tuesday to collect the files he needed for his off-site client meetings with Orochimaru. Sakura had not been in her office when he had strode by, nor had she been there when he departed twenty minutes later. If he was honest with himself—and he so rarely was—he had been relieved by her absence. He couldn't quite seem to shake the feel of her shirt button between his fingers, the soft silk whispering against his knuckles. In the dark he ran his pointer finger against his thumb, pausing as he recalled her words.

"A mistake," he muttered, dropping his hand, "hn."

Sasuke rolled over onto his side, his eyes coasting to the clock on his bedside table. The red numbers stared at him accusingly; evidencing just how little sleep he had managed the night before.

After a long moment he ripped back the covers and stood, his toes curling aggressively into the white carpet at his feet. He debated briefly going for his morning run, but he could feel the lack of sleep pulling at him, and so he made his way to the bathroom, his hand reaching absently to flip on the light before he pushed open the frosted glass door to the shower. His and Sakura's call with Haru was set at nine anyway. Better to head to the office early and prepare.

He disrobed quickly and turned the shower's handle as hot as it went, grimacing slightly as the spray of burning water hit his skin. He closed his eyes, enjoying the almost painful stream as it coursed down his tired muscles. The bathroom was silent save for the rush of water against porcelain tile, and Sasuke stood in the quiet, just breathing in the steam. He stayed like that until the room began to cool, at which point he quickly washed before snapping off the water.

Thirty minutes later Sasuke had shaved, donned a navy blue suit over a white shirt and gray tie, and choked down a protein shake. As he tossed the empty bottle into the recycling bin his eyes caught on his phone screen, which was glowing blue with an incoming call. He frowned, ignoring it. It was barely seven in the morning. Whoever was calling could wait until he was fully awake.

Besides, he thought dismissively as he walked towards his office to fetch his briefcase, it was likely just Orochimaru. After two full days of meetings with him, Sasuke was in no mood to hear his voice again so soon.

He heard the soft vibrations of his phone against the kitchen countertop die briefly before starting up again. He frowned and glanced back. What could Orochimaru possibly need so urgently he couldn't just leave a voicemail?

Nothing, Sasuke concluded, continuing his path to the office. Not bothering to turn on the light he scooped up the stack of files that sat neatly to the left of his laptop, his eyes doing a quick inventory to make sure they were all there. Certain everything was where it should be he shoved the manila folders into his briefcase before returning to the kitchen.

His phone was still buzzing excitedly on the counter, now on its third round of calls. With a snap of annoyance he reached for it, turning the screen so he could better read the caller ID. He almost dropped the phone in surprise. Dear god, had he summoned her with his mind?

He glanced around the apartment in disbelief, almost as if she might be standing there in his living room, an apologetic smile on her face.

"Unbelievable," he said quietly, glancing back down.

As he stared at the screen, wondering if this was a repeat of last weekend, his phone sent the call to voicemail. He stared at the blank screen, waiting for her to call again as she had thrice before, but the phone remained dark.

When several long seconds had passed and she still hadn't called sudden concern gripped him. He quickly opened the screen and dialed her cell phone, listening to each ring with increasing agitation.

After the fourth ring he heard a click. The sound of heavy breathing filled his ear and he froze, waiting for her to speak.

"Sakura?" He barked when she didn't speak.

There was no response.

"Sakura!" He said louder, his voice turning angry.

He heard Sakura gasp distantly through the speaker.

"Ouch! Ino, put the damn shoes away! They're everywhere!"

The grip of concern on Sasuke's gut instantly loosened.

"Sakura!" He yelled after a breath, irritation replacing his alarm.

He heard sounds of shuffling, as though the phone were being manhandled, before Sakura's voice burst through the speaker.

"Sasuke! Sorry, thanks for calling me back. I know it's early, but are you awake?"

"Obviously," he said after a beat, drumming his fingers on the counter.

"Ah, yes I guess that is obvious. Have you checked your work email yet?"

Sasuke frowned, lowering the phone to switch it onto speaker. Careful not to disconnect Sakura he switched to the email app, pulling up his work account and scrolling through the unopened mail.

"I'm looking at it now. What's wrong?"

"Well, yesterday I mentioned to Tsunade that we had a call planned with Haru this morning. Apparently representatives from the FFP are coming today to talk with her about some PR for the ball. In classic Tsunade fashion she thought it would be a good idea to have them join us for a portion of the call. She emailed us late last night. I only just read it. Luckily I was up early today . . . . " Sakura drifted off, her voice implying she normally was not.

As she spoke Sasuke spotted the aforementioned email and clicked it open, skimming the text quickly. His eyes narrowed at the woman's flippant last line about being in the conference room at nine o'clock sharp.

"Fine," he said coolly, closing down the app. "I'll see you at nine then."

He moved to hang up but stopped when he heard Sakura's voice tick up in slight panic.

"Wait, can you do me a favor? Please?"

He stared at the screen, watching the seconds tick by.

"What?" He said finally with a sigh, running a hand through his still damp hair.

"Typically when Tsunade hosts a morning meeting for clients she likes to provide breakfast," Sakura said quietly, sounding a little embarrassed. "FFP wasn't originally going to come until closer to eleven, so there's no food planned."

"Then call the office concierge service and have them cater in," Sasuke said in a bored tone. "This isn't rocket science Sakura."

"I'm going to," he heard her hiss between her teeth, "but they don't open until eight, and I'm not sure they'll be able to pull together more than coffee and fruit in such a short amount of time."

"I'm sure that will be more than enough."

"One would think, but Tsunade has certain expectations," Sakura said sourly, her voice slightly obstructed by the sounds of running water.

Sasuke hitched an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?" He asked when he heard the screech of metal on metal.

"I need to shower," Sakura replied hostilely, "I literally just got up."

"So you're going to talk to me on the phone while showering?" Sasuke said slowly, leaning against the counter. Despite never having been in Sakura's bathroom he had a very vivid picture in his head of her running around clad only in a towel, her phone balanced between her head and shoulder. His lips ticked up in a small smirk at the imagined sight.

"No," Sakura snapped, "I'm warming up the water. We don't all live in fancy high-rises with brand new water heaters."

Ignoring that, Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest, still smirking.

"For someone who said they only want to be friends you're really sending mixed messages," he said, imagining Sakura's face turn red at his words.

He heard a crashing sound and some shuffling, as though perhaps Sakura had dropped the phone. Suddenly she was back in his ear, her voice about an octave higher than normal.

"You know what would really make us _friends_ ," she said, stressing the last word, "is if you would do what I ask and pick up some damn pastries on your way to work."

"It's only seven, why can't you do it yourself?"

"Because. I. Need. To. Shower."

"How long are your showers that you can't swing by—"

"Sasuke you literally live right by that deli with the good donuts. Can't you just pick up a box on your way? You drive to work. I walk. I don't have the time."

"I thought those ridiculous pink shoes you wear are so you can walk quickly?"

"Oh my god," he heard her moan distantly, "you are worse than Ino. I don't even know why I bothered. Forget about it, I'll figure something out—"

"Wait," Sasuke interrupted, rolling his eyes, "fine. Calm down and take your shower, I'll get the donuts."

"How big of you," she muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing. Thank you Sasuke, I'll see you at the office."

With that the line went dead.

* * *

Sakura dropped the phone to her side, her free hand coming to rub at her left temple. It had taken every ounce of her adult energy to call Sasuke this morning. She had been relieved when he hadn't answered the first few calls. Though she feared Tsunade's wrath she hadn't been especially eager to hear his voice again. The last time she had seen him his very hard body had been pressed against hers, his mouth just inches away from her own.

She blushed, bringing her hand down over her face as she groaned. That's right, Sakura, she thought bitterly to herself. Get all of the nervous energy out now. Otherwise when you see him you're going to either die from embarrassment or blurt out that you know his family is part of the mob.

She gave herself a little shake, placing the phone down on the counter of her vanity. That was not a conversation she was particularly excited to have, though something told her she couldn't avoid it forever. Today, however, was not that day.

Sakura could feel warm steam beginning to roll around her, coaxing her into the shower, and so she dropped the terry cloth towel she had wrapped around her body and stepped in, resisting the urge to turn on the radio. There was no time for the news this morning. She needed to bathe, dry her hair, and book it to work. Even though it was still a solid two hours until the meeting she wanted to get there early to prepare.

Hence the need for Sasuke to be a team player. Men truly could not appreciate how long it took to blow dry hair.

At ten past eight Sakura had managed to dry and straighten her hair, located a clean pantsuit, and locked up the apartment, only tripping twice over the large piles of shoes Ino still hadn't returned as she made her way out the door and down to the street.

When she pushed open the door she swore, regretting her decision to walk. The August humidity was already suffocating. She should have ordered a car. It was too hot to exist today. As she began to walk, clutching her purse tightly to her shoulder as she wove through throngs of fellow office travelers, she heard a forceful car honk.

The honk came again and she glanced around, expecting to see someone jaywalking across traffic. But the street outside her flat was surprisingly pedestrian free.

The honk came yet again, held longer this time, and Sakura stopped, sudden dread taking hold. Only one man could make a car horn sound annoyed.

She turned slowly to look behind her, her eyes easily finding the black BMW parked half a block behind her. Sasuke was climbing out of the driver's side, his upward progression halting when he caught her eyes. He didn't acknowledge her, just climbed back into his vehicle, clearly expecting her to walk back to him.

Her heart pounded hard in her throat and she briefly considered ignoring him and surging ahead. But it was so hot, and she would have to see him eventually.

She looked longingly back at the street towards the office before making up her mind. With a frustrated grunt of defeat she strode back, grabbing the passenger's side door and climbing in.

"Are you stalking me now?" She said, refusing to look at him as she buckled herself in.

"As I've said before you can always walk," he said simply, waiting for her to finish buckling before he pulled quickly into the morning traffic.

"Donuts?" She asked hopefully, glancing around the empty passenger seat floor. "Oh shit, that reminds me," she said, suddenly recalling her forgotten task.

She pulled her phone out of her pursue and quickly dialed the firm's front desk, asking to be put through to the concierge line. As expected they were slightly annoyed at the late notice but assured her they would pull together what they had. At the very least there would be coffee. Sweet, sweet coffee. She thanked them, apologizing again for the last minute request, and dropped her phone back into her bag.

Sasuke gave her a sideways look.

"For someone who called me in a panic only an hour ago you sure don't seem concerned about having the meeting ready."

"Well if you got the donuts like I asked I shouldn't need to be concerned, should I? You did get them, right?"

He inclined his head to the backseat and she twisted, spotting the white box behind her. She reached back, lifting her body slightly for extra length, and lifted the lid.

"They're pink," she said drily, twisting back around in her seat.

"As are you," Sasuke replied calmly, his face directed straight ahead.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Sasuke turned to look at her, his eyes moving purposefully from her pink hair down to her pink shoes, before looking ahead.

"Ok, point taken," she mumbled ruefully.

She saw Sasuke's lips quirk and she felt a hot flush of pleasure race down her body at the sight. She pulled her eyes down quickly, carefully ducking her head so he wouldn't be able to see her burning face. With a cough she glanced around the car, noting the two cups in the center console.

"Is that coffee?" She asked, her voice perking up.

"Hn."

Taking that as a yes Sakura scooped up a cup, and when he didn't stop her, she took a long sip. It was the same hazelnut brew he had brought her before, and as the warmth of the coffee slipped down her throat she felt suddenly and painfully aware of just how strange this should feel. Her in his car, him picking her up out the blue after . . . well, after . . . .

But it didn't feel strange. In fact, a sort of comfortable silence had settled between them as he drove.

"Sasuke," she began, already regretting the decision to ask, "why did you pick me up?"

He didn't respond, though she noted the quick, unreadable glance he gave her. Sasuke guided the car around a corner and the office building came into sight, only two blocks away. As the car inched forward on the crowded street Sakura continued to stare at him, waiting expectantly.

"The donuts," he finally said. "I'm going to pull over so you can get out. Take the box with you. I don't want to walk with it from my parking garage, it's too far."

Sakura blinked.

"Ah, that makes sense . . ." she said, "smart. Well, um, pull over wherever and I'll hop out."

"I'll get you closer—"

"No need, just go right there," she said, pointing to a spot a taxi had just vacated.

Sasuke glanced over at her, frowning, but turned on his hazards, pulling over. She unbuckled quickly and pulled her purse over her shoulder, pushing open the car door. She shut it soundly and moved to the backseat, dragging the door open to retrieve the pastry box.

"Thanks for the ride. See you in there!" She called as she shut the door.

"Sakura—" she heard him say, but the door slammed shut, silencing the rest of his sentence. She walked briskly down the sidewalk, balancing the box firmly in her hands as she went. As she walked she nodded to herself, replaying her Sasuke interaction.

"Ok, you got that out of the way," she said to herself as she went, ignoring the looks of those walking past. "Back to co-workers, and co-workers only. Totally normal."

She followed the crowd of people across the street and up into the plaza, smiling a thanks as a building attendant jumped out to get the door for her. She rode the elevator up to her floor and headed straight to the conference room where a member of the concierge staff was bustling about, setting out trays of pre-cut fruit and coffee cups.

"I brought donuts!" She said cheerfully, giving the box a pretend shake.

The staff member turned to look at her, clearly unimpressed with her meager offering.

"How . . . lovely. I'll find these a tray shall I?" He said, taking the box from her and putting it down on the table before striding quickly out of the room.

He returned moments later, carrying tongs and a multi-tiered tray that he sat on the side buffet. He flipped open the lid of the pastry box and paused, giving her a disparaging glance.

"They're pink."

"Yep!" she responded in a far too chipper voice. "I'll just leave you to it then. Thank you for pulling this together!"

She bolted quickly out of the room, making her way to the internal staircase and up the flight of stairs to her office floor. As she moved down the hallway she saw her assistant moving towards her full stream, pure terror stretched across her face.

"Did you get the email about the FFP?" She gasped as she approached, swinging back around to trail Sakura down the hall.

"I did," Sakura sighed. "Are they here yet?"

"No, but I told the receptionist to buzz me as soon as they arrive, though I think you should probably—"

"Just be down there already? Agreed. Any chance you—"

"I printed profiles of the people Tsunade's assistant knows are coming. They're in the binder on your desk behind the blue tab. The front materials are basics about the ball I thought you might want to know. The call is in twenty minutes."

"You are amazing, you know that?" Sakura breathed as she reached her open door and dumped her purse into the guest chair, quickly heeling off her running shoes before shoving her feet into the pumps she had stashed in her bag.

"Anything else?" Sakura asked, glancing back at her assistant.

"Mr. Uchiha isn't here yet," she said nervously, biting her lip.

"Oh, don't worry! He's right behind me. He's just parking the car," Sakura said absently as she rounded her desk, grabbing at the binder and a spare pad of paper.

When her assistant didn't respond Sakura glanced up, her face going pale as she caught sight of the other woman's poorly concealed grin.

"What?" Sakura barked, sounding more like her mentor than she ever had.

The woman gave a sharp bow and hurried out of the room. No doubt off to spread rumors, Sakura added internally as she closed her door to check her hair in the mirror.

All things considered she looked pretty good. After several minutes of consideration this morning in front of her packed closet she had settled on a black pantsuit with a silvery grey blouse. She hadn't had time to do anything but tuck her hair behind her ears, but as she considered herself in the mirror she decided she liked it down. It helped soften the look.

With a satisfied nod she opened the door back up and collected her materials. She strode briskly back down the hallway to the staircase, carefully navigating down the carpeted stairs to the lobby.

"Sakura!"

She looked up as her feet met the marble floor and smiled as Shizune moved quickly towards her, her heels clacking beautifully as she walked.

"Did you hear—"

"Yes, yes, I did. We are all good."

"Did you have time to get the room set up? You know how she gets. I only just learned myself otherwise I would have helped."

"We managed it," Sakura said with a breath, glancing around the largely empty lobby. "Are you joining us?"

"No," Shizune replied, "but I heard—"

"Sakura," a low, masculine voice interrupted loudly from behind them.

"You are popular this morning," Shizune whispered to Sakura as the women turned, watching as Sasuke stepped out of the elevator bay.

As he walked towards them Sakura's eyes fell on the two cups he held, one in each hand. Oh no, she thought as she realized what he was about to do. Her eyes flew around, noting that in addition to Shizune two assistants stood by the receptionist desk, their eyes trained hungrily on Sasuke.

Don't do it Sasuke, she willed him, widening her eyes in warning.

"You forgot your coffee," he said when he reached her, giving her a confused and slightly concerned look as he pushed one of the cups toward her. "What's wrong with your face?"

She could feel the molten heat of Shizune's shocked eyes on her skin as she hesitantly took the cup, careful not to brush her fingers against his.

"Nothing," she sighed, "we should head to the conference room. They'll be here any minute."

Sasuke inclined his head and began to head towards the room, Sakura following reluctantly behind. She glanced over her shoulder, catching Shizune's still shocked eyes. The woman raised her eyebrows in a clear, "oh, this will be explained" expression, and Sakura turned back, almost running straight into Sasuke's broad back.

He had stopped just shy of the doorway to the large glass conference room where the meeting was scheduled. Through the glass Sakura could see Tsunade and Orochimaru standing together, clearly engaged in a less than amicable conversation.

"Still time to retreat," Sasuke said softly, "if we're lucky they'll kill each other."

Sakura looked up at him, taken back.

"Was that a joke?" She stage whispered, legitimately unsure.

He tilted his head back slightly to look at her, his mouth opening to respond. But at that moment Tsunade caught sight of them.

"Sasuke, Sakura, get in here," she called.

"In we go," Sakura said with an exasperated exhale.

She saw Sasuke smirk slightly before walking in, coming to stand on the far side of the conference table on the opposite end of the food display. She followed him, but Tsunade gave a sharp beckoning tilt of her head. She corrected her course and came to stand by the woman. As she passed Orochimaru he gave her a thin smile before departing the room, striding slowly back into the lobby.

"Good morning," Sakura said as cheerfully as she could manage.

"Sakura," Tsunade began quietly, ignoring her greeting, "did your assistant give you the materials my assistant passed along?"

"She did. I still need to review it though," Sakura said with a gesture to the binder in her hand.

"Good, go do that. Originally we weren't going to have you two involved at all with the ball PR, but Orochimaru, for reasons best known to himself, strongly disagreed. So, here we are. Now go sit. The FFP should be here soon. Also, thank you for pulling this together," Tsunade said, pointing to the food. "Though what are the concierges thinking?" she muttered distastefully, "the donuts are pink for god's sake."

"So they are," Sakura sighed, meeting Sasuke's flickering eyes across the room.

She walked to take the chair across from him and sunk hurriedly into the leather, pulling forward the binder and cracking it open. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tsunade follow after Orochimaru, no doubt planning to resume their conversation.

Ignoring them, she turned to the back pages, skimming the biographies of the FFP's CEO, Legal Director, and head of PR. She could feel Sasuke watching her and she glanced up.

"Do you know what this is about?" Sasuke asked when she caught his eye.

"I think we're going to introduce Haru to the FFP, and then I guess we're going to stay for the meeting about the ball PR. That's about all I know," she said, looking back down at the papers in front of her.

"What type of PR are they doing that the FFP needs to be involved?" Sasuke pressed.

Sakura looked up, knitting her brows together.

"No idea. I literally told you everything I know," she said. "I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

"Hn," Sasuke said, turning to look through the glass. "They're here," he muttered, standing.

Sakura swiftly shut the binder, hiding evidence of her preparatory stalking, and stood as well, following his eyes.

Tsunade was walking towards them with a tall man dressed in a plain, black suit, followed by two women and Orochimaru, who was chatting enthusiastically with them. The group entered the conference room and Tsuande quickly moved to introduce the group, gesturing to Sakura with a wide smile.

"Sakura, this is Saburo Ueno, the FFP's head of PR, and this is Sato Takeda, the CEO, and Hiromi Ota, the Legal Director. Sakura and Sasuke are the two associates we told you about who are working Haru's case."

The group went through the normal pleasantries of shaking hands and offering coffee before taking their seats. The guests' eyes unsurprisingly looked to Tsunade, who sat at the head of the table, Orochimaru sitting to her left, looking unnaturally relaxed.

"I am so glad you were able to come in a few hours early today," Tsunade began. "It's my understanding that as luck would have it we had a call planned with Haru this morning. I thought we'd all enjoy speaking with him before beginning our discussion about how to approach highlighting the FFP's work at the ball next week. Sakura, Sasuke, when can we expect Haru to call?"

"The prisoner has to initiate the call. I asked my assistant to arrange for the call to be forwarded to the conference phone. I'm sure he'll be calling any minute," Sasuke said flatly.

"Excellent," Tsunade said with a nod. "While we wait why don't we get started? Now Saburo, as you know we are donating all of the proceeds to various legal organizations, but we decided we would only highlight one of the pro bono cases during the ball. I'm open to whatever ideas you have, but I imagined us five," Tsunade gestured to the front half of the table, omitting Sasuke and Sakura, "might speak briefly about the FFP and the firm's commitment to your work."

"What about poor Haru?" Orochimaru added before anyone else could speak. "Shouldn't we have Sakura and Sasuke provide a synopsis of the case?"

Sakura looked over at Sasuke, who was frowning, his eyes narrowed at his boss.

"I rather like that idea," Saburo said, smiling at Orochimaru. "People like Haru are at the center of our work after all. It would be good for those at the event to hear where their money is going."

"What type of synopsis?" Sasuke asked, his eyes still focused on Orochimaru.

"A quick summary Sasuke. Who he is, some background facts about his tragic past, and of course an introduction of yourself and dear Sakura."

Sakura glanced to Tsunade, who gave a small shrug of her shoulders.

"Shouldn't we discuss the effect such public recognition might have on Haru's case?" Sasuke pushed, turning to look at the two women. "If we reveal that we are representing Haru we are putting the true culprit on alert."

"True," Hiromi said with an understanding nod of her head, "but we also raise awareness for anyone with knowledge to come forward."

"It's too risky," Sasuke countered, but Orochimaru raised a hand, cutting him off.

"So long as we don't reveal details about what you have found there can't be too much risk Sasuke. I agree with Hiromi here. We should start getting his name out there."

The two men held each other's eyes, and Sakura sensed a wordless exchange was happening across the table.

A moment later the large speakerphone situated at the center of the table lit up, causing Tsunade to jump. She gave Sakura an expectant look, gesturing to the blinking light.

"That must be Haru," Sakura said, reaching over to answer the line.

A pre-recorded voice of a woman came over the speakers, introducing that an inmate was calling. Sakura hit the number seven to accept the fees and winced as a loud crackle filled the room.

"Haru?" She asked hesitantly, "it's Sakura and Sasuke. Can you hear us?"

"We also have two other lawyers at our firm here, Tsunade and Orochimaru, as well as representatives from the FFP," Sasuke added firmly. "And remember, this line isn't secure."

"Hey," Haru said, his voice slightly scratchy over the phone. "Um, hi everyone."

The group called their greetings before looking back to Sakura and Sasuke, who gave each other hasty glances. It occurred to Sakura they hadn't exactly planned what they going to tell him.

"Haru," Sasuke began, redirecting his eyes back the speaker. "Did you receive our package?"

"Yah, I got it yesterday. Thanks, where did you find the jerky man? That stuff is my favorite."

Sakura looked at Sasuke, confused. When had he sent Haru a package?

"We have our sources," Sasuke responded, smiling softly. "Just don't eat it all in one sitting ok. You won't be getting another one for a while."

"Haru," Sakura continued, "we have some great news. We've been investigating your case and—."

Suddenly she felt a hard kick to her shin under the table and she gasped out loud, glaring up at Sasuke. He held her eyes; wordlessly communicating she needed to stop talking.

"And," Sakura began again, looking around at the confused faces in the room, "we've been making some great strides," she concluded lamely.

"So you haven't found shit huh?" Haru responded roughly. "Is that why you told me to call? To tell me you've gotten nowhere?

Sakura gave Sasuke a pleading look.

"We're working multiple leads Haru. Trust me, there is no stone uncovered or bridge uncrossed," Sasuke said, sharing a meaningful look with Sakura. "It takes time."

"Haru," Saburo cut in, "is there anything you need that the FFP can get you? Some commissary money perhaps?"

The call continued for the next ten minutes, largely dedicated to the FFP asking Haru benign questions about things he might want and concluding with them drafting a few sentences they could read at the ball on Haru's behalf. From what Sakura could tell, Haru didn't seem particularly excited at the prospect, but he begrudgingly agreed.

Finally they made their farewells, with Sakura promising they would come see him again soon. The call went dead and Sakura directed her gaze back to Sasuke, who was staring at her thoughtfully.

"Sakura and I," Sasuke began, still looking at her, "should go pull together a few paragraphs then of what we will say at the ball for your review. Unless you'd like us to stay for the remainder of the meeting?"

"No," Tsunade said dismissively, "we have a few things to talk through that don't concern you. Your time is better spent elsewhere."

With that Sasuke stood, bowing low to the guests before departing. Sakura scrambled after him, likewise bowing low.

"Sasuke," she called as she hit the lobby, "why the hell did you kick me?"

"Not here," he growled roughly as they walked towards the stairs, glancing back at the closed conference room. "Wait until we're alone."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

* * *

"Seems a little dramatic," Sakura muttered under her breath as she followed Sasuke up the internal staircase, ignoring the reproving look he gave her over his shoulder.

They climbed the stairs quickly, continuing in silence down the long hallway that stretched between the internal staircase and their offices. Sakura tensed when she saw her assistant glance up from her desk as they passed, a knowing eyebrow ticked up over keen eyes. At least she hadn't seen Sasuke hand her the coffee, Sakura thought to herself ruefully as she followed Sasuke around the corner and into his office.

She watched from the doorway as Sasuke strolled purposefully to the couch and sat, unbuttoning his suit jacket with one hand as he sunk into the leather. Her eyes lingered on his strong form, questing from the broad expanse of his shoulders down to his long legs, which were currently stretched out in front of him leisurely.

The man was unquestionably delicious, Sakura thought with a defeated sigh as she leaned against the door frame, admiring the view. So. Frustratingly. Delicious.

With concerted effort Sakura forced her eyes away, raking them instead over the sunlit space. It still irked her that Sasuke had an office almost four times larger than her own. The large offices, particularly those with private bathrooms, were highly coveted real estate. If, for example, a partner with a corner office retired, the next highly ranked partner would move into that space, creating another vacant office for the second highest ranked partner to claim. The office shifting continued until the smallest, saddest offices were left vacant, waiting for the next crop of eager new baby associates.

Sakura had been steadily climbing the office ladder for the last few years, moving from a windowless, internal office to a cramped but at least brightly lit space that overlooked the plaza below. But Sasuke hadn't had to climb the ladder at all. He had rolled in and been handed a space normally reserved for partners in their twentieth year of practice. Typical.

"Sakura," Sasuke said in a bored voice, "if you're done gawking, close the door."

Narrowing her eyes—she hadn't been gawking—Sakura stepped fully into the room, pulling the door behind her until it clicked angrily into place.

"Sorry," she said with a thin smile, "just wanted to make sure there was enough room in here for both me and your ego."

"It may be a tight fit, but I think we can make it work," Sasuke said without missing a beat.

"Har. Har." Sakura muttered under her breath as she moved to take the chair across from him.

Sasuke only smirked, and as she stared at the familiar lilt of his mouth, it occurred to her then that the last time she had been alone with Sasuke in an office she had—rather enthusiastically—pressed herself against him. And he, rather unexpectedly, had pressed his searing hot lips to her neck.

She felt warmth creep into her cheeks at the memory, and as if sensing her thoughts, Sasuke seemed to tense, his deep eyes locking with her own. In a flash Sakura darted her eyes to the left, focusing on a pile of case files neatly stacked on the coffee table. We are friendly coworkers, she reminded herself. Friendly, non-inappropriate coworkers.

Donning another thin smile, Sakura looked back.

"You shouldn't have brought me that coffee," she said in a level voice.

Sasuke's brows furrowing in apparent confusion.

"I thought you liked coffee."

"I do. But I hate gossip, and now everyone probably thinks we came to work together."

"We did come to work together," Sasuke deadpanned.

"I know that," Sakura sighed, "but the whole office doesn't need to. They'll think . . . you know," she finished lamely, emphasizing the last word.

"No, I don't know. What will they think?"

"They'll think . . ." Sakura began, her voice dying slightly in her throat.

"What?"

"They'll think we slept together," she mock whispered, throwing up her hands in exasperation. "You, calling to me in the lobby that I forgot my coffee? They probably think you drove me to work this morning because I stayed with you last night. Jesus, what else would they think?"

Sasuke stared at her for a long moment.

"You got all that from a cup of coffee?"

She glared at him.

"You are purposefully missing the point."

Sasuke shrugged.

"It's coffee Sakura. Not a greek tragedy. I wouldn't worry about it. Besides, I doubt the staff cares about your personal life."

"You'd be surprised," Sakura muttered darkly, recalling Shizune's shocked eyes.

Ignoring her comment, Sasuke reached behind him to his desk and pulled down a notepad and pen. He clicked it and turned back to look at her, his face serious.

"If you're done discussing coffee etiquette, shall we discuss the case?"

Sakura crossed her legs and leaned back in the chair, irritated.

"Yes. Care to explain why you pulled us out of there?"

"I have concerns," Sasuke replied coolly, eyes still trained on her.

"When don't you?" Sakura sighed. "What is it this time?"

"Orochimaru. He is well aware we suspect the Gatō Company's involvement in the storeowner's death. Only a few weeks ago he told me to tread lightly so as not to draw attention to our investigation. And yet here he is, recommending we stand up in front of a room of every important person in the city and publicly acknowledge we're working to free Haru. The change in attitude is disquieting. It's also a damn stupid idea."

Sakura frowned.

"Why do you say that? What's the concern with people knowing we took Haru's case? We discussed on day one rousing interest in Haru so someone with information might come forward. Isn't this part of our strategy?"

"That was before I knew who we were dealing with," Sasuke replied. "No one is going to risk the wrath of a criminal organization to help some nameless kid. Besides, once the Gatō Company gets word of our investigation it will eliminate any stray threads."

Sakura grimaced. She had little doubt what he meant by eliminate.

"Right . . . But, I thought the debacle over the Great Bridge practically destroyed the Gatō Company? Maybe it doesn't hold sway anymore?"

"Perhaps," Sasuke responded slowly, "but that vulnerability may also make the Company more dangerous. It barely survived the bridge scandal. It would never recover were it linked to a murder. It won't tolerate further damage to its reputation."

Sakura chewed on her lip, weighing Sasuke's words.

"Are we sure Orochimaru knows the Gatō Company is dangerous? I'm sure if we explained our concerns to him and Tsunade—"

"No," Sasuke interrupted, his voice hard. "Not a word to her about the Gatō Company connection."

"She's a partner on this case," Sakura said forcefully, confused. "I'm not going to keep information from her. She expects updates. Besides, if Orochimaru knows our theory of the case, Tsunade should as well. The only reason I haven't told her yet is because she's been too busy to devote any time to this case."

Sasuke shook his head sharply, his lips pressed into an unyielding line.

"Until we know whether the Gatō Company is behind this we can't involve more people. We don't know who we can trust."

Sakura snorted.

"You think we can trust Orochimaru but not Tsunade? Are you out of your mind?"

"I don't trust Orochimaru."

"Then why did you tell him about the Company?"

"I wish I hadn't," Sasuke responded, "but I was concerned they were a client. I needed to confirm whether our firm had a conflict, and only Orochimaru has access to the restricted client files."

Sakura's mouth almost fell open in disbelief.

"You never told me you thought they might be a client. Were they? And when were you planning to tell me any of this?"

"There was nothing to tell. Uchiha Brothers hasn't done work for the Company in years."

"Huh. And what kind of work was that Sasuke?"

Sasuke's jaw hardened and Sakura ran a pointer finger nervously against her thumbnail. Apparently she was more bothered by Sasuke's lie than she had initially realized.

"Let's return to the relevant point," she said, forcing the conversation on rather than address the elephant in the room. "We can't not rely on the expertise of two experienced partners. This is a murder investigation. It's serious."

"I've run cases before without Orochimaru's supervision Sakura. Does Tsunade not allow you to run yours?"

"Of course she does," Sakura snapped, "but this isn't just any case Sasuke. The life of a kid is literally on the line. You may have a partner's office Sasuke, but you're still an associate. You have to be out of your mind if you think we can handle this without them."

"I have the experience, Sakura. You have a sharp mind and, I've come to learn, invaluable medical knowledge."

"Tsunade isn't just my boss," Sakura began, struggling to ignore his compliment, "she's my mentor. I can't lie to her."

"Then don't lie. Just . . . omit certain details. For now there's no need to update her with anything beyond Shino's report."

"So you don't want to tell her about Itsumi, or the potential the mob is involved?"

"No."

Sakura bit the inside of her lip, considering.

"An omission is just lying quietly," she finally said. "I'm not comfortable with it."

Sasuke tapped his pen against the notepad.

"What if," he began slowly, clearly thinking out loud, "you report to her I have a contact who wants to remain anonymous, which is true, who is keeping their ears open for us. Can we compromise on that? It's not dishonest. There's no harm in it."

No harm my ass, Sakura thought as she considered Tsunade's certain knack for sensing dishonesty.

When she didn't respond, Sasuke shifted impatiently in his chair.

"Sakura, it's important we limit who knows about this. The more people who know the more people who could get hurt."

Sakura looked up at that. That hadn't occurred to her.

"You think if we tell Tsunade she could get hurt?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"Unlikely, but it's a possibility. We don't know what we're unpacking here. I'd prefer you step out of the investigation too, but I doubt there is much I can do to stop your involvement at this point. You seem hell bent on surging ahead."

Sakura closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead with the heel of her hand. The bitter, bitter irony.

"You know what's funny about this? I told Tsunade, begged her really, to give this case to Naruto. But she insisted it needed to be me. She wanted someone she could trust to report to her, and she didn't believe Naruto could be objective when it came to you. And now here we are, plotting together how to keep Tsunade in the dark."

"She wanted you to spy on me?" Sasuke asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

"Sure did. Someone needed to keep an eye on Orochimaru's golden boy."

"Smart woman," he muttered absently, "though she needn't be concerned."

Sakura opened her eyes and examined him.

"Because you're not his golden boy?"

"No," Sasuke said firmly. "I'm not."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"What have you been telling Orochimaru?"

"Nothing. He doesn't expect updates the way Tsunade apparently does. Though his sudden shift towards public disclosure is concerning."

"Are you going to ask him about it?"

"I might," Sasuke acknowledged, "but he won't tell me the truth if he doesn't want to, so it's often a useless exercise."

"Hm," Sakura acknowledged, mind still processing Sasuke's safety concerns.

"Sasuke, here's the problem with secrets. They always come out eventually. If the Gato Company was involved in Haru's case we'll need to involve Tsunade. We can't get Haru out otherwise."

"I suppose you're right," he said, looking at Sakura carefully. "But, can we agree that until we either confirm that theory or rule it out, we shouldn't alert her to the possibility?"

"I still don't like it, but I won't tell her for now. I can't promise I won't change my mind. That's the best I can do."

After a moment, Sasuke nodded.

"Fair."

"Ok," Sakura said largely to herself. "We're in agreement. So, what's the plan then?"

"We keep our knowledge to ourselves, and we write up the thinnest, most non-helpful narrative to be read at this stupid ball for Haru that we can."

* * *

After several attempts, including one where Sakura almost wrestled the pad of paper out of Sasuke's hand when he kept referring to Haru as "incarcerated youth," they finally pulled together a decent script for next week's event. It was littered with warm fuzzies they largely made up about Haru to endear him to the crowd. Heavy on fluff, light on case details.

As Sakura handed the pad to her secretary to type up, she turned over what Sasuke had said once again. Her gut screamed against the deception, but Sasuke was right. It didn't make sense to involve Tsunade unless there was an actual need. The woman wasn't subtle. And when she drank she wasn't particularly discreet. No doubt if Tsunade knew their theory about the Gato Company she would latch on like a pitbull. And it could be all for naught anyway. The murder could be completely unconnected to this dark world Sakura hadn't known existed until last month.

That's right. Be optimistic, Sakura thought as she entered her office and looked over the many emails that had gathered in her inbox. Pretend your life isn't rapidly spinning out of control.

Rather than click open any of the offending messages, Sakura laid her head down on her desk, contemplating her life choices.

After a moment she reached for her phone and clicked open the message app. She typed out a quick question to Naruto, certain she already knew the answer.

"I need gin. Happy hour?"

She put the phone back down and skimmed through her emails, triple checking she would be fine to sneak away later that afternoon. After a few minutes she heard a ping. She glanced back down at her phone, where Naruto's response glowed bright blue.

"Always."

* * *

Author Note:

I know, I know. MC, where the hell have you been? And why was that chapter so short and unfulfilling? It's been a crazy summer all. Between work and some big life changes, I haven't had much time to get anything out. But. I'm trying here. And I'll try to get you something again soon. The good news is, we're only one chapter away from the ball.

Thanks to everyone who sent love my way during the break. I read every message and comment, and I appreciated them all. You guys are the best.


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